Newark Cops Shut Down Massive Flash Mob Amid Pandemic (VIDEO)

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police shut down a massive flash mob that gathered downtown last weekend, handing out 57 summonses – with more on the way, authorities announced Wednesday.

Footage of the flash mob, which took place around 11 p.m. on Saturday and included hundreds of people, was captured on the city’s surveillance cameras. (Watch below)

In the video, dozens of people can be seen gathering in a circle near Edison Place and Mulberry Street. Lines of vehicles stretch down both streets, their headlights acting as spotlights for the mob.

Few of the people on the scene, if any, were wearing face masks or social distancing.

As the crowd hold up their phones and film, a car does donuts around the inside of the human circle, narrowly missing several of the onlookers as they scurry around the speeding vehicle to get better vantage points.

Soon, the car makes its exit from the circle and a motorcycle enters, doing a smoke-filled burnout before speeding away.

According to the Newark Department of Public Safety, the “takeover” car meet was promoted on social media.

Many of those present weren’t from Newark, authorities said. The alleged organizer was from Avenel, and others cited for violations came from as far away as Ridgefield Park, Bayonne, Phillipsburg and Bergenfield.

“Hundreds of people from other towns thought they could come into our city and take over our streets,” Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “They were sadly mistaken.”

By the time the smoke had cleared, local cops had handed out 57 summonses, including citations for Reckless Driving, Careless Driving, Failing to Maintain a Lane, Noisy Muffler, Unsafe Lane Change, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failure to Report Accident and Failure to Wear Seatbelt.

“And for those who fled and think they got away with it, they can look for summonses in the mail, too, because their plates were captured on the city’s surveillance cameras as they were committing motor vehicle violations,” Ambrose added.

“I want each and every one of those drivers to know that we will not tolerate them coming into Newark and creating a public safety hazard of any kind,” Ambrose said.

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