PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It is now illegal to incite a public brawl in New Jersey.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law on Monday that provides police with more tools to help them get a handle on large, unruly crowds.
The law calls for stiffer penalties for anyone involved in starting or participating in these chaotic incidents.
The bill comes in the wake of several recent incidents in which massive groups of teens became unruly at public events, like last year’s Gloucester Township Day carnival.
At the 2024 event, a dozen people, mostly teens, were arrested after several fights broke out. It took police nearly three hours to get under control, and three cops suffered minor injuries.
This year’s event has been postponed, with no new date set.
There were also huge crowds of teens down the shore over Memorial Day weekend. The boardwalk in Seaside Heights was shut down in response to the chaos. There were three stabbings within the three-day weekend.
Under the new law, anyone caught organizing flash mobs or gatherings can face up to a year and a half in prison.