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Thousands Of Protestors Crowded Huntington Beach On Friday
More than a thousand protestors crowded downtown Huntington Beach on Friday to rally against state-ordered beach closures and California's stay-at-home policies.
On Thursday California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered local officials to shut down all beaches in Orange County to contain the spread of the coronavirus, triggering protests and threats of lawsuits from officials in Huntington Beach and Dana Point.
Both cities wanted an immediate, temporary restraining order against the closures. But state Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott allowed the order to stand.
Friday was quite a scene. So many demonstrators crowded together, that police on horseback had to block people from standing on the beach side of the street. It was loud, with lots of passing motorists limited to a single traffic lane, revving their engines and honking their horns.
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Only about half the people present were wearing face masks, and most showed little concern for keeping physical distance from others.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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