On Saturday, three people who were protesting beach closures were arrested, despite the fact that, just hours earlier, San Diego County officials had announced that they planned to reopen the beaches at sunrise on April 27.
The trio was part of a group of dozens of protesters frustrated over the city’s decision to close beaches during the Coronavirus pandemic. At least one of the protesters knew the beaches were scheduled to open back up on Monday but didn’t like the proposed restrictions. The sand and ocean are only to be used for exercise, which means sunbathing isn’t allowed. About 50 people showed up to the protest at Moonlight Beach.
“I’m either free or I’m not,” a protestor named Crista Anne Curtis told USA TODAY on Saturday. Curtis was not one of the protesters who was arrested. Curtis, who has been at other protests and plans to continue to attend them, says the people were arrested when they left the sidewalk and walked onto the sand. “They’re saying the sand is closed,” she said. “They literally drew the line at the sand.”
A press release from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said that the protesters were given multiple opportunities to obey police orders, but were arrested when they refused to cooperate.
Catherine Blakespear, the mayor of Encinitas, didn’t mince words when she commented on the protests. “Not being able to go in the ocean two days before it opens is a pretty minor sacrifice,” she said. Bladespear plans on reopening beaches in increments. Parking lot closures will remain in place.
California was the first state to put a shelter-in-place order into effect, and according to the L.A. Times, that decision likely saved lives. “Experts say that swift action has prevented a greater death toll, like those of New York and New Jersey,” the Times wrote.
Not all beaches in California are open, however. Los Angeles County beaches, for example, remain closed. “We won’t let one weekend undo a month of progress,” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted Sunday. “While the sunshine is tempting, we’re staying home to save lives.”
Despite protests throughout the state and across the nation, officials are still recommending that people stay at home as much as possible. “CA can only keep flattening the curve if we stay home and practice physical distancing,” Gov. Newsom tweeted. “You have the power to literally save lives.”
