Cops break up small protest outside nursing home with 29 deaths amid coronavirus pandemic

Elizabeth Nursing and Rehab Center.

Salaam Ismial, left, founder of the National United Youth Council, Inc protests outside of the Elizabeth Nursing and Rehab Center. Friday, Apr. 17, 2020. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Elizabeth police on Thursday referenced Gov. Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home order when they dispersed three protestors who called for the closure of a nursing home that has seen at least 29 deaths amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Two of the activists, Carlos Trujillo and Salaam Ismial, were rallying outside the Elizabeth Nursing and Rehabilitation Center when they say about three cop cars arrived. Trujillo, who is running for mayor, recorded the interaction with police.

The police said the governor’s stay-at-home order banned assemblies. But the protesters said the executive order allowed for protesting.

“I would say this is exactly essential,” Trujillo told NJ Advance Media on Friday while wearing a mask outside the nursing home. “Any time we give up our civil liberties, we’re giving up everything we believe to be essential: our right to congregate, our right to speak freely, our right to pray together.”

A neighbor called police around 1:19 p.m. and said the protesters were not practicing social distancing, according to city spokeswoman Kelly Martins. No summonses were issued, she added.

Trujillo asked one of the officers if the governor’s executive orders said they did not have the right to protest. An officer responded, “yes.”

“Exactly," said one police officer while wearing a mask. "There’s no assembly. No assemblies of any kind right now. Essential business only. Take that up with the governor’s office.”

The governor’s office did not respond to a request seeking clarity on protests.

Elizabeth Nursing and Rehab Center.

Elizabeth Nursing and Rehab Center. Friday, Apr. 17, 2020. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Ismail said he has been protesting outside the nursing home on Grove Street for about two weeks. On Easter Sunday he stood in the facility’s parking lot with a megaphone and a priest to pray for those inside. At least 12 residents there have tested positive for COVID-19.

The two protesters have been calling for city and state officials to move residents, much like when the state closed a hard-hit nursing home in Woodbridge. They said their rally brings attention to a nursing home in a minority community that they believe has been overlooked by the governor.

“He gave no homage to the people here," Ismail said of Murphy. "He felt more sorry for the people in Sussex County but said nothing about the people that died here in Elizabeth.”

State officials have said nearly every nursing home in New Jersey has at least one case of COVID-19. More than 1,500 nursing home residents have died from the virus.

There is still no plan to move residents from nursing homes with large outbreaks en masse. Residents from nursing homes that cannot separate sick patients will be transferred to a different nursing home only after they survive a trip to the hospital, state officials said.

The nursing home on Grove Street is licensed through the state, not the city. Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage suggested to state officials that churches or a sports center could be used to house sick nursing home patients, but a city spokeswoman said the state hasn’t agreed to do so.

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Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.

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