A day after California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) ordered Orange County beaches to close because of coronavirus, hundreds of protesters flooded the city of Huntington Beach to demonstrate against what many are calling authoritarianism. Last weekend the beaches were packed, resulting on the Governor specific closing of all beaches.
Protests were held Friday and Saturday.
Deadline reported: Crowds in the tens and hundreds maintained social distancing but still managed to get in some beach time, some choosing to merely show up to register disapproval of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order that closed state and local beaches. No arrests or citations were reported, something the Orange County sheriff previously indicated. A large protest group in Huntington Beach was confronted by horseback riding police on Saturday. There was a heavy police presence in the city at the beaches, but less of a crowd and cooler weather seemed to dampen tempers
Orange county has a population of 3.16 million people and thus far 2,600 coronavirus cases and only 52 deaths. These numbers do bolster protesters arguments against Newsom’s measures. This is going to be a debate we will be seeing for months. Should extreme government regulations be lifted in areas with very low infections and deaths or should the social distancing and quarantining continue regardless of infection numbers in fear of a second and more dangerous wave ?
Famous rap star from the 90’s MC Hammer posted
?Wow? Huntington Beach ??? pic.twitter.com/xGc94VmqFs
— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) May 1, 2020
Here are some other scenes at Huntington Beach captured by social media figures.
Looks like Huntington Beach has voted with their feet about continuing “social distancing”. Today, @GavinNewsom informed us that we are now free to climb a tree. That is now on the states “approved” list of activities. #livefree pic.twitter.com/XAvyagbHmb
— Joseph Mollick (@JosephMollick) May 1, 2020
Unrest is now spreading in liberal-leaning California as MASSIVE crowds gather in Huntington Beach to protest Gov. @GavinNewsom‘s executive order shutting down beaches:pic.twitter.com/n2LOYigM7v
— Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) May 1, 2020
A protest message flew over Sacramento
Oh, look at what KCRA just caught flying over the Capitol in Sacramento during the protest… Quite the photoshop of Gov. Gavin Newsom pic.twitter.com/NebacPsZ6g
— Eric Shackelford (@ABC7Shack) May 1, 2020
