California Residents Have Finally Had Enough, Protest New COVID Restrictions with Major Public Displays
In a series of grassroots protests that might collectively be dubbed “Having Lives Matters,” California residents marched over the weekend against draconian lockdown edicts imposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom, who earlier this month made headlines for ditching COVID-19 rules at a swanky dinner, now requires state residents to stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless they are shopping, getting takeout, walking a dog or responding to an emergency, according to Fox News.
The rules applying to 41 of California’s 58 counties were put in place Saturday and will last through Dec. 21.
In response, about 400 people who called themselves “Curfew Breakers” gathered near the main pier in Huntington Beach for a two-hour march to show their anger.
“Patriots are uniting, and we’re gonna stand and we are going to fight for our rights. We are Americans, and they will never take our rights away,” one female leader told the crowd, according to KABC-TV.
Huntington Beach police Lt. Ryan Reilly said “some, not all” wore masks.
Still going strong here in Huntington Beach, CA protesting Newsom’s “curfew.” ?? pic.twitter.com/raCzuQkqNY
— Trevor ?? (@SoCal4Trump) November 22, 2020
It’s good to see that some in California have had enough. There was a huge protest of Newsom’s 10pm curfew at 10:01 in Huntington Beach. https://t.co/emhARF0dRH
— Joe (@JoeKennewick) November 22, 2020
WATCH: Protesters in Huntington Beach, waving American and Trump flags and calling themselves “curfew breakers,” are protesting #California’s overnight #COVID19 curfew aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. The protest began exactly at 10:01pm, a minute after the curfew start. pic.twitter.com/Va5k4lxLnv
— Eric Wasserman ? “WASS” (@EricWasserman1) November 22, 2020
In Fresno, a protest attracted dozens of people who said the order will hurt small businesses, according to The Fresno Bee.
“Small businesses, we’re screwed,” said Julie Glenn, who owns the House of JuJu in Clovis. “I don’t know if we’re going to come back from that, but we employ a lot of people.”
“We are not here in this group to say COVID isn’t real,” Glenn said. “It’s not something to shut down a half a million people’s lives for.”
Lewis Everk, who owns several restaurants, told The Bee he was standing up for those he may soon let go.
“The real reason that I’m here today is for my staff, looking in their faces when they know I’m about to tell them, ‘Guys, I can’t do it anymore. We don’t have the sales,’” Everk said.
Dozens of people took to north Fresno Saturday night to protest the governor’s latest stay-at-home order. https://t.co/Wob1TRRbQI pic.twitter.com/JHfSDMcYS4
— ABC30 Fresno (@ABC30) November 23, 2020
Fresno protest on first night of California’s COVID-19 curfew | The Fresno Bee. ?☯️☮️ https://t.co/MmWvHP5b1w
— Billy_The Kid (@thekid_13_11482) November 22, 2020
Protests were also held in Los Angeles County, which is banning dining at restaurants, bars and similar venues starting Wednesday and for the next three weeks, at least.
The “Curfew Protest Block Party: No More Lockdown” event took place outside of the home of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
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