LA Mayor Admits Black Lives Matter Protests Spread COVID-19
Democrat Eric Garcetti says ‘some of the spread did come from our protests’
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The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, has admitted that Black Lives Matter protests in the city last month have contributed to the recent spikes in COVID-19 cases.
During a Wednesday afternoon press briefing, Garcetti told reporters that the thousands of BLM protesters that flooded LA streets in June were, in fact, partly responsible for further spreading the coronavirus.
“Some of the spread did come from our protests,” Garcetti confessed, in response to a question from Breitbart.
Garcetti had enthusiastically supported the protests and participated in them at close quarters, even removing his mask at one point to address a crowd.
The Democratic mayor was also pictured "taking the knee" in solidarity with protesters while flouting social distancing guidelines.
He did also warn demonstrators about the risk of COVID-19 at the protests, however.
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Those warnings appear to have been correct, as cases have spiked within the Los Angeles area in recent days, prompting a return to closures for some businesses and for public beaches over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to Breitbart.
Another journalist followed up to ask Garcetti if he knew precisely how may coronavirus cases had been traced to the protests.
He said that he did not have an answer at hand, but that public health officials felt “more certitude than just a couple days ago” that the protests had been responsible for some of the spike.
With that said, Garcetti insisted that people still had the right to protest.
“I want to see march for racial justice continue,” he said.
“I don’t want to let up, I don’t want to see us just disappear.”
However, he added, that people who participated in protests should remain “socially distant,” bringing masks and hand sanitizer, and maintaining additional separation from people who are shouting and chanting.
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Meanwhile, as Neon Nettle previously reported, UK officials have launched a national investigation amid fears the recent Black Lives Matter protests led to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Birmingham.
Birmingham City Council has ordered an inquiry into a surge in cases seen 10 days after thousands flooded the city's streets on June 4, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Huge crowds gathered in Birmingham's Centenary Square to stage a rally following the outcry over the police killing of George Floyd in America.
Birmingham City Council had supported the BLM movement but urged protesters to keep two meters/six feet apart and not to gather in groups of more than six people.
Many protesters ignored the advice, however.
