TRENTON, NJ — Mayor W. Reed Gusciora issued Executive Order 26-001 on Aug. 6, 2026, authorizing an emergency curfew for businesses on East State Street between West Canal Street and South Broad Street.
Beginning Friday, Aug. 7, all businesses in that stretch must cease operations between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., starting Friday evenings and running through Monday mornings.
The order cites a pattern of disruptive and dangerous unauthorized late-night gatherings near City Hall over the summer of 2026, which city officials say have been fueled in part by nearby businesses operating without proper authorization. According to the executive order, the gatherings have included loud music, traffic jams into the early morning hours, a fatal shooting, street fights, open drug and alcohol use, illegal parking and significant littering.
"In the last few months, multiple acts of violence have been carried out in this area during these late-night weekend hours," Gusciora said in a statement. "This action is a necessary step to help ensure the safety of Trenton residents and protect our community."
The executive order outlines a multi-pronged city response that includes increased police presence and parking enforcement during late-night hours near City Hall, enhanced cleanup and anti-dumping efforts, and amendments to city ordinances giving officials stronger enforcement tools for disruptive activity.
The order states that measures taken so far have mitigated damages but have come at a cost to taxpayers through overtime for public safety and sanitation workers, and have exposed city personnel to risk of harm.
The curfew is authorized under City Ordinance 201-2 and does not exceed the limitations set by N.J.S. 40A:4-19, according to the order. It will be kept on file with the City Clerk and Business Administrator and made available to the public upon request.
Business owner pushes back at council meeting
The order drew criticism at a City Council meeting Thursday night from Ed Forchion, owner of NJWeedman's Joint, a smoke shop and restaurant on East State Street that has become a late-night gathering spot in recent years.
Forchion told council members he has been requesting increased police patrols in the area for two years, including messages sent to the mayor, the city's law director and City Council. He said his most recent request came May 15, following shootings in the area on May 10.
"If there was a police officer out there on these weekends, there would be no shootings out there on weekends," Forchion said, arguing that the city has relied on ShotSpotter gunfire-detection technology in the area rather than assigning officers on foot patrol.
Forchion said he did not know what impact the executive order would have beyond disrupting his business for a month. He said he was concerned that a temporary shutdown would push crowds to other cities' entertainment districts and permanently damage local business.
He pointed to other cities' entertainment districts, including Bristol, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia's South Street, saying he has seen foot and bike patrols manage large crowds there without the level of violence seen on East State Street.
City officials said they will continue to assess conditions daily and provide updates to the public as needed.
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