Ed Forchion was outside holding a sign that read "We-R-Open. F—- the Police" Watch video
TRENTON -- NJ Weedman got into a tiff with police Tuesday, shouting expletives at officers who had stopped in front of his restaurant and held up traffic.
Ed Forchion was outside holding a sign that read "We-R-Open. F--- the Police" when police driving by stopped in the middle of the road.
"F--- you. F--- you," he repeatedly yelled. "Get out of my face."
Forchion said that for the past several days, he had been trying to drum up business after his restaurant, NJ Weedman's Joint, was raided by police two weeks ago.
After he and 10 others were arrested, an inspector from the city's health department had come through and shut down the restaurant for health violations. He reopened Friday, but business has been slower.
"None of the city workers are coming, none of the state workers are coming, so I'm trying to reach out to the community," he said, holding up his sign. "I'm trying to get people who feel like me.
"I wasn't confronting the police," he continued. "I was out here exercising my free speech and trying to get people to come in. That's all."
Police had remained in the road for several minutes, causing traffic to back up along East State Street, before they turned around and parked.
But the exchange of words continued between Forchion and police when they stayed put for another 15 to 20 minutes.
"They're saying, 'This is unlawful assembly,' but there was no one assembled. I've been out here by myself all day and nobody bothered me. State troopers rolled by, they didn't say nothing. A car of detectives rolled by, laughing ... but he took offense at it," Forchion said, pointing to one of the officers. "He stopped and got out of the car and made a fool out of himself because he wouldn't dare arrest me."
Jason Arnold, who had come outside to film the confrontation, was ticketed for tossing his cigarette butt on the ground.
Two of the officers briefly went into the restaurant before they all got back into their cars and left -- to loud applause and cheers.
"I'm going to have a problem with the Trenton Police Department now if I didn't already," Forchion said.
He sued the department in March, saying they infringed on his freedom of religion after shutting down the cannabis temple attached to his restaurant for operating too late at night.
One of the officers deferred comment to his supervisor, who was sitting in a car, but he also declined to comment.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.