NJ police break up 700-person Airbnb party; 3 charged for violating state gathering rule

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Police in New Jersey cited three people for violating Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order limiting gatherings after breaking up an Airbnb mansion party that grew to more than 700 people Sunday night, authorities said.

Police in Jackson Township were called around 8:30 p.m. after neighbors claimed a neighborhood home had been rented to a group that was having a large party, WNBC reported. After arriving, officers contacted the owner, Yaakov Weiss, 40, of Jackson Township. According to police, Weiss said he had rented the property on Airbnb and left when about 200 people were in the home, NJ.com reported.

The home, located on a cul-de-sac, costs $795 a night to rent and is described as a “stunning 3,700+ square foot home,” according to its Airbnb listing. According to the listing, rules include “no parties or events.”

Police said the party attendance swelled to more than 700 guests, with more than 100 vehicles parked in the area, NJ.com reported. While authorities attempted to clear the area, more people continued to arrive, NJ.com reported.

Weiss was issued a summons for violating the governor’s executive order, WNBC reported. Also cited were the party’s organizers, Patience Guanue, 23, of Newark, and Alicia Hinneh, 22, of Newark, according to NJ.com.

The state’s coronavirus restrictions limit outdoor gatherings to 500 people, and indoor gatherings are restricted to 100 people or 25% of a room’s capacity, whichever is less.

All on-duty Jackson Township police officers worked to clear the crowd and direct traffic until 1 a.m., with help from several nearby law enforcement agencies, NJ.com reported.

Murphy showed his frustration during his daily news briefing on Monday.

“C’mon folks! C’mon! By the way, putting the health of police at risk here as well,” Murphy said. “These are overwhelmingly gatherings of young people, but there is a big concern that a young person can get it and go home or go visit grandma and grandpa and pass this on unwillingly.”

Also at the briefing, New Jersey State Police Col. Pat Callahan said the state’s ban on indoor dining and bars could be the reason behind illegal gatherings like the one in Jackson Township.

“I do think the fact that bars and restaurants are closed then create this underground situation which is certainly not one we want because ... young people, even if asymptomatic and you’re positive, the fact that you can transmit that to your family members is certainly one that concerns us,” Callahan said.

Cox Media Group