New Jersey police took five hours to break up a massive 700-person houseparty on Sunday, and charged three people in connection with the incident.- The party appeared to violate the state's rules against large gatherings during the
coronavirus pandemic. - It came on the heels of several other local gatherings that sparked COVID-19 clusters in recent weeks.
- New Jersey officials, including the governor, have pleaded with residents to hold gatherings outdoors, and with
social distancing measures and face coverings.
New Jersey officials have charged three people after officers spent five hours breaking up a massive house party Sunday evening that drew more than 700 guests and 100 vehicles, despite the state's restrictions on large gatherings.
Capt. Steven Laskiewicz of the Jackson Police Department said in a statement that officers arrived at the house on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. after receiving a report of a "suspicious incident."
When they arrived, Laskiewicz said, the officers found a large crowd and a number of concerned neighbors.
As the night went on, the crowd swelled, and multiple neighbors began calling 911 to report disturbances and trespassing, Laskiewicz said.
"As the crowd grew in size, this took the effort of all the on-duty Jackson police officers who responded as the roads into the neighborhood are shut down because more partygoers were still arriving," he said.
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Officers from five nearby police departments and the New Jersey State Police also arrived to help clear the crowd. The entire process of breaking up the party took until 1 a.m., Laskiewicz said.
Police identified the three people charged with violating the distancing executive order as Yaakov Weiss, 40; Patience Guanue, 23; and Alicia Hinneh, 22. Weiss was the homeowner who rented out the space on
Weiss confirmed to officers that he had rented out the home to the party hosts, and had left the area after more than 200 people had arrived, Laskiewicz said.
In a statement, Airbnb said it strongly condemned the partygoers' alleged behavior, "which represents both a clear violation of Airbnb's community policies and a particularly serious abuse during this public health crisis.
The company had already disabled its "event-friendly" search filter in April to prevent hosts from allowing parties in areas where large gatherings were banned.
The company also removed both Guanue and Hinneh from the platform and deactivated the listing for Weiss' home, according to the statement.
New Jersey officials say the state's restrictions on gatherings have driven parties 'underground'
The massive gathering appeared to violate the state's limits on gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
Currently, the state permits only indoor gatherings for groups of fewer than 100 people or under 25% of a room's capacity. Larger outdoor gatherings are allowed but are limited to 500 people with social distancing guidelines in place.
New Jersey Gov.
For instance, nearly 30 lifeguards have tested positive for COVID-19 after they attended a social gathering earlier in July. Another party in Middletown on July 11 sparked a coronavirus cluster and left more than 20 teenagers with the virus.
"I do think the fact that bars and restaurants are closed then create this 'underground' situation which is certainly not one that we want," Callahan said. "Young people: even if you're asymptomatic and you're positive, the fact that you can transmit that to your family members is certainly one that concerns us."
Murphy urged residents to understand that gatherings are perfectly fine — they just need to occur outdoors, with social distancing measures in place, and in groups of 500 people or fewer.
"It is literally irresponsible. You are playing with fire if you gather indoors without face coverings, without social distance, in close proximity. There's no good that will come from that," Murphy said.