ASBURY PARK, NJ – Three police officers were injured in Asbury Park this week during Black Lives Matter protesting, but a few ‘nicked up’ cops doesn’t change the narrative given on Tuesday by Governor Phil Murphy. Murphy, who has been forcing businesses to close and dictating that businesses and residents on New Jersey who violate his executive orders be charged, has a much different tone when it comes to some of the violent protests around New Jersey.
In a graphic photo published by NJ.com, one officer is pulled by fellow officers with his face covered in blood. Click this link to see the full photo by NJ.com.
“I think in New Jersey right now, with a few exceptions, and believe me, there have been a few exceptions,” Murphy said. “I don’t want to make light of that. You know, you hear about three police officers get nicked up, including a severe concussion in Asbury Park as an example. But the unity has been in peaceful protests, for my taste, and we’ve seen a lot of it. It’s an overwhelming sense right now. But with 21 protests today, as Pat reminds me and Gurbir reminds me, we got to make sure, we have to continue to bat 1,000 or as close to it, but it’s an exceptional human behavior both at the individual level, as well as at the community level.”
Murphy who has opened the flood gates for massive protests statewide still refuses to open the flood gates for small businesses. This week he announced some small businesses can open June 15th. Nail salons and barbers shops can open June 22nd, but gyms, fitness centers and other industries have been given no date yet for reopening.
“We’ve put a timeframe out for small businesses and we think it’s a responsible one. We’ve put a timeframe out for outdoor dining, for salons and barbershops,” Murphy said. “We will be doing more with gyms and health clubs.”
As for the escalating protests across America, including Asbury Park, Trenton and Atlantic City where looting and rioting were present, Murphy said he’s just trying to keep people alive and the nation is still digging itself out of the hole of slavery.
“We’re trying to keep people alive and as I said on protests, given the gravity of the killing and the stain of racism in this country, we have to acknowledge that there is a desire and there is a right to peacefully protest,” Murphy said. “I would ask you, please to wear masks and keep social distancing. This is about a loss of life. And it’s about now, the beginning of the fifth century since slavery came to America and the hole that we continue to dig out from under.”
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