Injunction Bars Pop-Up Parties In Point Pleasant Beach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Point Pleasant Beach has received an injunction against several people who have been promoting "pop-up parties" on social media, Mayor Paul Kanitra said Friday.

And while multiple social media posts have been circulated canceling the parties that were in the works for this weekend, Kanitra said the borough is still preparing for the possibility people will show up anyway.

"We believe we have headed off this insanity as much as possible. That all said, we are still totally prepared for any situation tomorrow in case anyone attempts to test our resolve," Kanitra said in a Facebook post.

Kanitra and Point Pleasant Beach police have been pushing back against the parties since social media postings promoting "Beach Linkup Part 2" began circulating just days after a May 21 pop-up party drew about 5,000 people to Long Branch. It led to arrests, damage to a police car and a curfew in Long Branch.

Point Pleasant Beach followed the lead of Long Branch, which filed suit against six people in connection with the May 21 pop-up party. The city won its case on Thursday, receiving an injunction against the parties.

In Point Pleasant Beach, Kanitra said the borough has sent "expensive Borough ordinance violations out for breaking our local rules and regulations."

Mayors in several shore towns spoke with Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin on June 3, and Kanitra later expressed frustration at the lack of tangible solutions provided during that meeting.

"All I got was an hour of nonsense about preparation and sharing of information and monitoring the situation," Kanitra said. "By the time enough people get here and gather together where we recognize a party is forming it's already too late."

Kanitra said he spoke on PIX 11 Friday morning, to again urge state officials to take a more active role in deterring the organization of these parties "and help towns up and down our Shore from ever having to deal with this again."

"All it takes is one loser on Facebook ... who thinks he's a promoter trying to look cool to his followers to create chaos and economic disasters," Kanitra said in a video two weeks ago. "He created it and shared it with his followers and those idiots share it with theirs all for the purpose of just publicly partying together, destroying things and causing chaos in one big group." Read more: Point Beach Mayor Blasts Pop-Up Party 'Idiots,' State's Response

Kanitra said he will be on the boardwalk and at the police department's substation there all day Saturday "to both monitor the situation and welcome all the families that come up to enjoy our great town!"