LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ – The owners of the Lakeside Diner in Forked River have been getting hate mail, according to New Jersey State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan.
Callahan reminded residents that it’s law enforcement’s job to shut down and put small local businesses out of business, and not the responsibility of the public.
“The Lakeside Diner in Lacey Township Ocean County, that owner continues to be charged with a fourth-degree contempt for violating Department of Health’s closure order,” Callahan said on Wednesday. “And just one thing I’d like to stress about that one is the reports of hate mail coming in to the Lakeside Diner as well as to other establishments with a similar or same name throughout the state. And whether it’s the one in Lacey or any other establishments, I would just ask that everybody refrain from the desire to send hate mail to these establishments and just let law enforcement handle that.”
Callahan didn’t say what the police response would be in regards to the harassing hate mail that was sent, which could actually be a crime by statute in New Jersey where the indoor dining ban is a political executive order.