Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti: It’s Time to Cancel “Everything”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti sternly instructed residents of his city to cease all outgoing activities of everyday life, citing the county’s dismal coronavirus prospects, which he states are worse than what the nation’s second-largest city faced in March.

“It’s time to hunker down. It’s time to cancel everything. If it isn’t essential, don’t do it.”

Los Angeles County officials enacted a full coronavirus shutdown for three weeks last week, strictly limiting permissible activities and placing the county in a lockdown similar to those utilized across the country at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are spiking, and county officials are concerned the city’s medical system is unprepared to accommodate a surge in coronavirus cases similar to that seen in New York earlier in the year.

Black Lives Matter protestors have staged nightly protests outside of Garcetti’s house demanding special privileges for individuals charged with felonies. However, the Mayor’s emergency order exempts protest gatherings from restrictions, placing them in the same category as congregating for religious services.

Garcetti was seen congregating in a group of chanting BLM demonstrators earlier in the year. Angelenos can only hope that their neighbors will execute greater discretion in the interest of public health and saving lives than their mayor has.