Rallies Planned In Liberty State Park Focused On Protection Act

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Liberty State Park will be a busy scene on Saturday as two rallies are planned, both focusing on the Liberty State Park Protection Act. One rally is in support of the act and the other rally is against it.

The rally in support of the protection act is organized by the Friends of Liberty State Park and will include several speakers including city and county officials. They rally starts at 11 a.m. at the Flag Plaza in the park.

The Liberty State Park Protection Act would ban privatization of the park with the exception of "small commercial activities." Liberty State Park encompasses 1,200 acres–approximately 600 acres of land and 600 acres of water. The park has seen several attempts at privatization and commercialization — most recently, a 22-acre lease was proposed by Paul Fireman, owner of the Liberty National Golf Course. Fireman has since given up the proposal.

Speakers at the rally in support of the act include representatives for Sen. Brian Stack, Sen. Loretta Weinberg and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, as well as Hudson County Commissioner Yraida Aponte-Lipski, state NAACP Chair of the Armed Forces & Veterans Affairs Committee Keith Bodden and NY/NJ Baykeeper Greg Remaud.

On the south lawn, nearby, there will be a counter rally organized by Liberty State Park For All. Also starting at 11 a.m., the rally will include speakers against the act. Rally memos say the counter rally will "educate the people of Jersey City on what is really in the Liberty State Park “Protection” Act – better known as the “Deception Act” – that aims to keep the park a non-accessible preserve rather than a clean, safe, accessible park for kids and families in the area."

Speakers for the counter rally include President of the NJ NAACP Richard Smith, Coach Bob Hurley, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Hudson County Commissioner, Co-Founder & CEO of Team Walker Jerry Walker and Former Jersey City Mayor Jerry McCann, among others.