Cops break up two New Jersey weddings with attendances exceeding restrictions

Two weddings in Lakewood Township were broken up by police on Tuesday night because both events exceeded the state-mandated 50-person limit on mass gatherings enacted to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Police said that, upon arrival, staff at both venues in the Ocean County town were informed they could not host events with 50 or more people for the time-being, as the state continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Wedding attendees and staff at the two venues were cooperative and left without causing trouble, police said.

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As a result, Lakewood police will be more strictly enforcing the state's order and remind gathering places in Lakewood of the indefinite rules, officials said. The exact number of people in attendance at both weddings could not be confirmed, but police said that it was far greater than 50 people.

"We stress that the public do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19 by obeying the guidelines set forth by the State of New Jersey and encourage cleaning your hands often, staying home if your sick, covering coughs and sneezes, consider wearing a face mask if you aren't feeling well, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and practice social distancing," Lakewood police said to NJ Advance Media in a statement.

New Jersey currently has 427 positive cases of coronavirus and the virus has killed five residents so far. There are currently 21 people undergoing tests for COVID-19 in the state, and 190 tests have come back negative. Of the state's 427 positive cases, eight have occurred in Ocean County.

On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy urged residents to stay home between 8 p.m and 5 a.m., until further notice, to combat the spread of coronavirus. He also instructed all gyms, movie theaters, race tracks and casinos to close for the foreseeable future. 

Some non-essential businesses, including restaurants, are permitted to remain open between 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., but their occupancies need to be kept less the 50-person threshold recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and mandated by the state. They also need to adhere to social distancing guidelines. 

Restaurants and bars must close off dining services after 8 p.m. but can remain open for takeout and delivery. Essential businesses, like supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and medical offices, may remain open after the 8 p.m. curfew. 

Murphy announced on Tuesday that all malls, amusement parks and entertainment centers in the state must shutdown until further notice to slow the spread of COVID-19. Restaurants located in malls can remain open for takeout and delivery.