Thousands of protest across California over covid-19 restrictions

A Police officer talks to a protestor while she gathers in a demonstration in Huntington Beach, California on May 1, 2020.Apu Gomes / Getty Images

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After a California Superior Court judge rejected a request Friday to block Gov. Gavin Newsom's directive that beaches there must remain off limits during the covid-19 pandemic. Judge Nathan R. Scott set a hearing for May 11 to consider Huntington Beach's request for an injunction. Dana Point, a neighboring coastal city joined in the suit and nearby Newport Beach has also signaled support. The Orange County beaches will remain closed.

According to a Dana Point council spokesperson during the hearing which was conducted via teleconference, Dana Point staff received a request from the state to participate in a call to develop a plan for reopening the beaches. Dana Point officials said, As a result of that call, a plan to reopen beaches has been developed and will be submitted to the state over the weekend. The city is hopeful the plan will satisfy the state making further court action unnecessary. A request to the governor's office for comment was not immediately returned. Friday's decision came as hundreds of people in Huntington Beach flooded the streets to protest Newsom's order. People demanded that Newsom immediately reopen not just beach access but California's economy. On Thursday, Newsom, a Democrat, issued a directive aimed at Orange County after photos emerged showing large weekend crowds in Huntington and Newport beaches. The governor was expected to close all beaches across the state but instead singled out the conservative stronghold south of Los Angeles. Hours later, Huntington Beach and Dana Point city councils held emergency meetings and voted to seek a temporary restraining order against the governor's mandate. Newport Beach also held meetings but did not formally join in the petition. Officials argued that Newsom unfairly targeted Orange County and abused his power as governor.

A spokesperson for the city of Dana Point said, as a beach community, the city of Dana Point feels a heightened sense of responsibility to preserve access to the coast for socially responsible recreation during this unprecedented time. We believe that the governor is acting without constitutional or statutory authority and is infringing on the rights of local governmental agencies to control their own beaches.

Newsom said, he planned to close state and local beaches in Orange County calling the images of huge crowds that occupied the beaches over the weekend disturbing.

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said, the order unfairly singled out Orange County beaches. The order “is wrong and fails to recognize the sacrifice made by our 3 million residents.

Newsom said, he was not surprised by the lawsuits and that he has confidence in local law enforcement to carry out the order. If a huge crowds don’t descend on the beaches this weekend, then officials could be in a position as early as Monday or Tuesday to make some announcements of new strategies and partnerships to address the large crowds. The only thing, he mean it, the only thing that’s going to hold us back is a spread of this covid-19. And the only thing that is assured to advance the spread of the covid-19 is thousands of people congregated together not practicing social distancing or physical distancing.