On the corner of Newport Boulevard and 19th Street in Costa Mesa, Protestants topped American flags and signs calling for the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom in the latest show of resistance to masks.
Although temperatures reached 80 degrees on Saturday afternoon, Protestants took to the streets to speak out against the mask campaign of the city of Costa Mesa. In late July, city officials spread through the city’s Facebook and Twitter pages that those caught in public without a mask would be arrested and fined $ 100.
Face coverings have been mandatory in the city since March 12, but residents shot back against the fines and some called it a bluff.
No quotes have been issued, police spokesman Roxi Fyad said on Friday.
Human rights lawyer Leigh Dundas talks to attendees near Mother’s Market and Kitchen during a rally against mask orders conducted by the city of Costa Mesa.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Event organizer Alan Hostetter, former police officer and founder of the America Phoenix Project, said the event was aimed at the city because “Costa Mesa along with other cities up and down the state have gone to even Gov. Newsom’s unconstitutional lockdown orders to strengthen. ”
Leigh Dundas, a human rights lawyer in Orange County, said the event was organized “to raise awareness about the mask problem.”
“Many cities, counties and states have mask mandates that conflict with a lot of local science in terms of wearing mask damage … especially on older people,” Dundas said. “Just to bring awareness that we feel this is a violation of our constitutional rights and given that I am here as a lawyer, I am here.”
Dundas said she felt the fine was heinous, claiming that, “I mean, if I came to you five months ago and I said you had to wear a burka or you had to wear a Spiderman outfit, that would be a violation of your basic human rights and constitutional rights. “
Anti-mask protesters marched on Saturday at the crossroads during a rally against mask orders.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
“At this point in the pandemic, there is no health crisis,” Hostetter said. “The numbers that were given are completely and utterly false until death counts.”
As the protest continued despite the heat wave, the Orange County Health Agency reported another 513 new cases of COVID-19 and 20 new deaths on Saturday, reaching new heights of 43,367 and 809, respectively. There were 11,515 tests reported, the new total at 539,093.
There are currently 434 cases in hospital and 138 of those cases are in intensive care units. The provincial agency also reported 31% of ICU beds and 57% of fans are available.
According to the agency, 34,115 were recovered.
Protesters against masks walk past Mem’s Market and Kitchen and haunt drivers wearing masks on Saturday during rally against mask orders.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
“We’re in the middle of summer now, if we never talk about the flu,” Hostetter said, “and yet, this game is still going on with these masks. Masks should always be a personal choice. A store like this [Mother’s Market] and Sprouts is another store that is incredibly aggressive, chasing customers in the store and driving them out. ‘
‘If they do not have hours for people who can not wear a mask, because there are many people who have health problems that do not allow them to wear a mask and if they can not go out for a few hours find the week to allow them to come in and shop without a mask, that is just inhumane for the people who cannot wear a mask, and we are here to protest, “Hostetter added.
But, Hosetter added that the protest was aimed at the fine.
Anti-mask protesters walk past Mem’s Market and Kitchen and at the intersections at rally against mask orders.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Here are the latest cumulative cases of coronavirus and deaths from COVID-19 for selected cities:
- Santa Ana: 8,469 cases; 208 dead
- Anaheim: 7,390 cases; 188 dead
- Huntington Beach: 1,914 cases; 56 dead
- Costa Mesa: 1,420 cases; 14 dead
- Irvine: 1,328 cases; 12 dead
- Newport Beach: 938 cases; 14 dead
- Fountain Valley: 416 cases; 8 dead
- Laguna Beach: 151 cases; less than five dead
And here are case counts followed by deaths, by age group:
- 0 to 17: 2,852 cases; zero dead
- 18 to 24: 6,444 cases; three dead
- 25 to 34: 9,560 cases; 12 dead
- 35 to 44: 7,010 cases; 25 dead
- 45 to 54: 7,100 cases; 70 dead
- 55 to 64: 5,252 cases; 105 dead
- 65 to 74: 2,550 cases; 168 dead
- 75 to 84: 1,444 cases; 178 dead
- 85 and older: 1,127 cases; 248 dead
By race / ethnicity:
- Latino: 10,169 cases; 343 dead
- White: 6,127 cases; 251 dead
- Asian: 1,830 cases; 112 dead
- Black: 310 cases; 13 dead
- Unknown: 20,065 cases; 11 dead
- Other (includes Pacific Islander, American Indian and multiple races): 4,866 cases; 79 dead
Updated figures are posted every day occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus-in-oc. Please visit for information on testing occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-testing.
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