Motorcycle clubs will be at the Fourth of July protest that promises to shut Atlantic City.
The American Legion Riders from Somers Point and Williamstown will be there to protect the military monuments in the city, Post 352 President Michael Merlino told BreakingAC.
Local activist Steve Young has promised to shut down the city in what he said is a demand for the black community to be heard.
Talks between him and the city broke down earlier this week. Although Young and Mayor Marty Small have different versions of why that happened.
Small said the protestwas about Young. Young said Small wanted to run things and that the true nature was to call attention to the issues in the city’s African-American community.
Regardless, the 1 p.m. protest starting at the Public Safety Building is set to go on.
The American Legion Riders from Post 352 in Somers Point and Williamstown Post 252 will be there not to counter the protest but to protect the military monuments in the city.
The move is non-confrontational and not against the Black Lives Matter protest, he said.
“We think it is important to protect the monuments honoring those who sacrificed for every freedom and liberty we all enjoy daily,” Merlino said.
“This is personal also, as two of my uncles names are on the WWII Honor Roll Memorial located at the All Wars Memorial.”
The groups met up in the old Shore Mall parking lot in Egg Harbor Township.
A township officer later approached them and offered a police escort to the township line.
The Legion Riders were expected to surround the All Wars Monument off John O’Donnell Parkway and the Korean War Monument at Brighton Park.
They said they would be wearing masks and social distancing.
Young has promised to shut down the city, which could mean blocking the entrances including the Albany Avenue Bridge and the Atlantic City Expressway. The expressway already had issues after a serious crash Saturday morning.
It was still unclear if the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club would show up, as a caller to Harry Hurley’s radio show indicated.
But sources familiar with the group agreed that the caller was not a member, and that the Pagan’s would not alert anyone to their appearance.
UPDATE: Atlantic City protest ends with Steve Young arrested
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Source: BreakingAC by Linda Cohen