[guest post by Dana]
After California protests last weekend, where residents rallied to have the state’s ongong stay-at-home restrictions lifted so that people could return to work, Gov. Newsom cautioned future protesters that, when exercising their right to speech, make sure to adhere to social distancing measures:
I just want to encourage people that when you practice your free speech — which I don’t [just] embrace, I celebrate — just do so safely. This virus knows no political ideology. It doesn’t know if you are Republican or Democrat, supporting the president, opposing the president, so practice physical distancing. Make sure that you are not infecting others. Even if you feel healthy and have no symptoms, you can spread this.
The worst mistake we can make is making a precipitous decision based on politics and frustration that puts peoples’ lives at risk and ultimately sets back the cause of economic growth and economic recovery.
On Monday, protesters at the state Capitol, ignored his directive:
As a result of the flagrant disregard of social distancing measures, permits will no longer be issued for events on state properties:
Following Monday’s protest at the state Capitol where demonstrators defied Gov. Gavin Newsom’s orders banning large gatherings, the California Highway Patrol says it will no longer issue permits for events at any state properties, including the Capitol.
“Permits are issued to provide safe environments for demonstrators to express their views,” the CHP said in a statement. “In this case, the permit for the convoy was issued with the understanding that the protest would be conducted in a manner consistent with the state’s public health guidance.
“That is not what occurred, and CHP will take this experience into account when considering permits for this or any other group.”
The ban on large public events in California “will remain in place until health officials decide it’s safe for people to gather in large groups given measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus”.
Protesters are now protesting the ban:
Stefanie Duncan Fetzer, an Orange County activist who helped plan the rally, said protesters are considering whether to file a lawsuit against the state, arguing the policy violates their right to freedom of speech.
“It’s unfortunate that the CHP has opted to violate their oath of office by violating the Constitution,” she said.
Duncan Fetzer said the group has an application “pending” for a May 1 protest at the Capitol. She added, “We’re not going to change our plans.”
While some groups organizing protests in California are urging protesters to remain in their vehicles during protests, and to follow recommended safety guildelines for wearing masks in public, too many are ignoring the directives.
There is no doubt that protesting Californians are truly frightened about what the future holds for them if they cannot return to work, hold onto their house or put food on the table. This is a horrible situation Americans at large find themselves in, through no fault of their own. But it’s unfortunate that, in their anger at the state and federal government, taking safety measures that help limit the rate of infection have been dismissed as an unwelcome intrusion, and nothing more than government overreach. Reasonable precautions that might benefit everyone have simply become too much of an ask. It’s as if there is a complete disconnect from the logical outcome of ignoring social distancing measures when in public: The rate of infection will increase, more people getting sick means less people working, and all of this will result in a necessary extension of the stay-at-home restrictions (until the infection rates slow). And unfortunately, for every reasonable concern, these protests are a magnet for conspiracy nuts : A protester on a mega phone is proposing to gather 10,000 people here at the Capitol for a month. “And if nobody gets sick we prove the coronavirus is a lie.”
P.S. From a CBS poll of 2,112 residents this week:
A CBS News poll published Thursday reports that 70 percent of respondents believe the country’s top priority should be to “try to slow the spread of coronavirus by keeping people home and social distancing, even if the economy is hurt in the short term.”
Only 30 percent think the top national priority should instead be to “try to get the economy going by sending people back to work, even if it means more people might be exposed to coronavirus.”
–Dana