New Jersey mayor CANCELS $2,500 bill sent to 18-year-old BLM organizer who was asked to pay for police overtime at her 40-person protest

An 18-year-old northern New Jersey resident will not have to pay a $2,500 bill to cover police overtime expenses after she organized a Black Lives Matter protest in her hometown.
Mayor Mario Kranjac of Englewood Cliffs says the bill for police overtime that was sent to Emily Gil last month has been rescinded.
Kranjac confirmed the action to the Associated Press on Saturday without additional comment.
Gil, 18, received a letter earlier this month from the mayor seeking payment of $2,499.26 'for the police overtime caused by your protest,' NJ Advance Media was the first to report.
A civil liberties advocate called the move 'shocking.'
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Mayor Mario M. Kranjac (above) says he has rescinded a $2,500 bill that was sent to Emily Gil, 18, earlier this month 'for the police overtime caused by your protest'
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Mayor Mario M. Kranjac says he has rescinded a $2,500 bill that was sent to Emily Gil (above), 18, earlier this month 'for the police overtime caused by your protest'
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Mayor Mario M. Kranjac (left) says he has rescinded a $2,500 bill that was sent to Emily Gil (right), 18, earlier this month 'for the police overtime caused by your protest'
Gil organized a Black Lives Matter rally (above) on July 25 that lasted 90-minutes. Days later, she was handed a bill from the mayor for $2,500 to cover 'police overtime'
Gil organized a Black Lives Matter rally (above) on July 25 that lasted 90-minutes. Days later, she was handed a bill from the mayor for $2,500 to cover 'police overtime'
Gil, a recent high school graduate, had organized a protest (above) on July 25 in the town, just across the river from the uppermost parts of Manhattan
Gil, a recent high school graduate, had organized a protest (above) on July 25 in the town, just across the river from the uppermost parts of Manhattan
Gil, a recent high school graduate, had organized a protest (above) on July 25 in the town, just across the river from the uppermost parts of Manhattan
Kranjac said in another letter that he rescinded the bill after reviewing the local ordinance he had cited earlier, WLNY-TV reported.
'I was told that all private events requiring police overtime should be paid for by the organizers. It was never intended as a fine, but rather as a fee,' Kranjac said, the station reported.

Gil, a recent high school graduate, had organized a protest on July 25 in the town, just across the river from the uppermost parts of Manhattan. 
She said she called for action like increasing affordable housing in the town, and chastised Engelwood Cliffs for not implementing it over the years.
The town's letter said she had not met with officials before her protest, requiring them to hastily come up with security plans.
Gil said she didn't meet with them in person over coronavirus concerns, but made an offer to meet via Zoom, which wasn't accepted, and then officials stopped responding to her. 
She said she had reached out to the mayor after receiving the bill but had received no response.
Gil said she called for action like increasing affordable housing in the town, and chastised Engelwood Cliffs for not implementing it over the years
Gil said she called for action like increasing affordable housing in the town, and chastised Engelwood Cliffs for not implementing it over the years
Gill says the protest was small and peaceful, with 30 to 40 people attending
Gill says the protest was small and peaceful, with 30 to 40 people attending
Protesters attend the July 25 rally outside of the Englewood Cliffs police department
Protesters attend the July 25 rally outside of the Englewood Cliffs police department
The rally mixed Black Lives Matter messages with demands for more affordable housing
The rally mixed Black Lives Matter messages with demands for more affordable housing
City officials said that organizers did not give them enough notice to prepare for the rally
City officials said that organizers did not give them enough notice to prepare for the rally
Kranjac earlier told NJ Advance Media that protesters' rights of free speech and assembly were respected, and that Gil was wrong to link affordable housing to her protest.
'As with any privately-sponsored event that takes place in the borough requiring police safety, an invoice was sent to the organizer for police overtime since it would be unfair to require our residents to financially support a private event,' he said.
Four Democratic members of the town´s Council said in a statement that they would seek to cancel the bill and called on the Republican mayor to apologize to the teenager.
Jeanne LoCicero, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, told The Associated Press, 'the idea of sending a bill to protesters is shocking.'
She said while it's been attempted before, she hadn't heard of any other town trying something similar over the protests of recent months.
New Jersey mayor CANCELS $2,500 bill sent to 18-year-old BLM organizer who was asked to pay for police overtime at her 40-person protest New Jersey mayor CANCELS $2,500 bill sent to 18-year-old BLM organizer who was asked to pay for police overtime at her 40-person protest Reviewed by CUZZ BLUE on August 31, 2020 Rating: 5

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