Asbury Park Day of the Dead celebration canceled over ICE fears and community safety concerns
Event leaders said they consulted with city officials and community members to evaluate whether they could pivot to a smaller gathering.
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Organizers in Asbury Park have canceled this year’s Día de los Muertos celebration over concerns that immigration enforcement officers could target the public cultural event.
The annual Day of the Dead festival was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, Nov. 7. However, event organizers announced the cancellation in a social media post, citing what they described as a local rise in "unlawful detentions."
Event leaders said they consulted with city officials and community members to evaluate whether they could pivot to a smaller, scaled-down gathering. Ultimately, they determined that continuing with any version of the event posed too much risk.
"We did not make this decision lightly," organizers wrote on Instagram. "Logistically it was not feasible having in mind our desire to keep our community safe by not bringing unwanted attention to it."
Organizers emphasized that they plan to bring the tradition back in the future when the community can gather safely without fear.
