A popular Jersey Shore town is scheduled to host a "Make America Great Again" or MAGA march on its boardwalk on Saturday.
SEASIDE HEIGHTS - A march in support of President Donald Trump is scheduled to take place on the Seaside Height's boardwalk on Saturday.
The Make America Great Again, or "MAGA", march was approved by the borough council after it was initially denied by Mayor Anthony Vaz due to concerns of clashes between those who support and oppose Trump's agenda.
Vaz, a Republican, told NJ Advance Media that he voted for Trump and supports the president, but that he and other borough officials were not in favor of hosting the rally due to concerns of violence, as well as the potential cost of providing police protection for the rally.
The mayor said he initially expressed his concerns and support of the president about a month ago to an event organizer, to whom he also had to explain where Seaside Heights was located. Vaz said he thought the woman appreciated his concerns and that the matter was a "dead issue" until she recently started making more calls and requested an opportunity to attend a council meeting.
"It's no secret to anyone that there is a divide in our country right now. ... And when there's a 'pro' (event) there is often a lot of negatives that come with it," Vaz said. "This is what I fear. I am concerned about possible negative impacts on the quality of life and the properties of our residents and businesses."
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However, the event was approved after borough's attorney reviewed constitutional law requirements and advised the borough council that denying the application could result in litigation, Vaz said.
"It is going to happen," he said. "It's going to cost a lot of money that we don't have... and right now we are working with our police department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office about our concerns for public safety. But it's going to happen."
The approval came with the stipulations that the march participants must stay on the east side of the boardwalk and are not allowed to block the entrances or exits of any boardwalk businesses or facilities, the Asbury Park Press reported.
"I'm just hoping that both sides of the aisle can respect each other and not harm each other or our businesses or other properties," Vaz said.
The event is scheduled to take place from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, in conjunction with other similar events scheduled to take place around the country on the same day in support of the president's agenda.
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.