Cause, meet effect. The LA County health chief, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, says there’s a spike in coronavirus cases, which is “highly likely” due to the protests and riots starting May 27. Now everyone has to pay for it.
Ferrer said other, smaller gatherings also could have been to blame for some cases of coronavirus. But for days, beginning on May 27, hundreds and thousands of people gathered to condemn the George Floyd killing.
The riots and protests culminated on June 7 with a march of nearly 50,000 people in Hollywood.
WATCH LIVE: In what appears to be the largest #GeorgeFloyd demonstration in the LA area thus far, an estimated 10,000-plus people are marching in Hollywood. https://t.co/MzrnwKZtKI pic.twitter.com/gTMTtVp4yt
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) June 8, 2020
Eventually, the curfew on LA County was lifted on June 4, following one night with no looting.
There is nearly universal condemnation for the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th by a police officer.
The protests were lauded by all city and county officials with nary a caution about a predictable spike in coronavirus as a result, including Ferrer herself, who “applaud[ed] all of those who have stood for justice.” She encouraged those who participated in the riots and protests to self-quarantine: “Nobody knows that you were there, nobody has your name, we can’t call you.”
I’m sure the rioters took her advice and self-quarantined.
Worshiping LA Protesters
Indeed, if anyone had called for protesters to stay home they would have been labeled a racist and canceled from the public space.
LA City and County officials had no problem closing down churches, restaurants, and malls. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals called church services a “suicide pact,” but there wasn’t a word about the George Floyd protests from our legal bright lights.
Fifty percent of California’s coronavirus cases occurred in nursing homes, but you couldn’t take communion in a church because of the ‘rona.
Former Obama administration labor secretary-turned-LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis never mentioned coronavirus concerns while cheering on protesters and condemning cops.
County Supervisor Janice Hahn discouraged curfews and wanted to let the protesters protest to their hearts’ content.
It’s why LA Mayor Eric Garcetti encouraged protests on May 28.
We will always protect free speech and Angelenos’ right to live without fear of violence or vandalism. To increase safety for demonstrators, law enforcement and all citizens of Los Angeles, we are putting a curfew in place from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
https://t.co/vy3XM760qb— MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) May 30, 2020
But they didn’t want you to go to church.
And, predictably, as night follows day, four weeks later bars, beaches, and public spaces have been ordered closed due to the spike in coronavirus cases.
LA Independence Day Is Canceled
Here we go again.
“All LA County beaches, piers, parking lot and bike paths will be closed Friday, July 3 at 12:01AM to Monday, July 6 at 5:00AM. “
Translation: The 4th of July holiday for Los Angeles County has been closed due to protests four weeks ago.
To slow the spread of #COVID19 and prevent crowding that can result in more people becoming infected, all LA County beaches, piers, parking lots, and bike paths will be closed Friday, July 3 at 12:01 AM to Monday, July 6 at 5:00 AM https://t.co/TAAoYjk9mg pic.twitter.com/hbBkiC4rnf
— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) June 30, 2020
The hapless LA County sheriff says he won’t enforce the edict in LA County, but LA city beaches are still closed.
Bars are closed too.
Closed. https://t.co/GnkCBP1qJF
— L.A. Weekly (@LAWeekly) June 28, 2020
LA County Coronavirus Caseload
Interestingly, while the number of cases has gone up, California’s death rate from coronavirus is very, very low. New Jersey is the worst, with 169 deaths per 100,000 people. New York is second-worst at 109 per 100,000 people, and California is way down the list at 15 deaths per 100,000 people.
The protests and riots occurred when California was finally being freed of public mask-wearing and people were finally able to sit down at a restaurant and hang out at a bar with social distancing.
It came at a time when people were finally freely using the beaches again with social distancing. They were swimming, hiking, biking again. They were free and outside taking in the sunshine.
And because LA City and County officials didn’t want to be labeled racists by Marxist Black Lives Matter and violent antifa protesters, they didn’t shut down or attempt to control the mass protests and riots or enforce social distancing.
Of course they didn’t. It would have been disastrous and caused more riots and unrest.
But either large gatherings of unsocially-distanced people—some masked, some not—are OK or they’re not.
Viewpoint: Protestors Over Beach Goers
When LA City and County officials allowed the riots and protests because they agreed with the protesters, they made value- and viewpoint-decisions that were contrary to their health officials’ coronavirus guidelines.
Now, after a spike in the cases, those same city and county officials have come back to stop the free association of those who want to enjoy Independence Day activities at the beaches, parks, and hiking and biking trails that they ordinarily would have enjoyed had it not been for the protests. Protests that were allowed due to viewpoint.
Plus, based on the numbers, there may be more positive tests but not more deaths. So why close the beaches at all?
If protests were OK outside, then a day at the beach should be OK too.
If firebombs were OK at the LA riots and protests then why not professional fireworks on July 4th?
Sounds to me as if the only way you can go to the beach in LA this 4th of July is to call it a Black Lives Matter and antifa protest.
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