Large religious rally held at California Capitol
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Thousands of people gathered at the state Capitol on Sunday for a religious rally.
The event, called Let Us Worship, went on for hours as people prayed, worshiped and sang songs. The event was permitted for 1,000 people, according to CHP.
"Based on the expected number of event participants and the location of the event, the CHP determined proper physical distancing could be achieved," CHP public information officer Jaime Coffee said in a statement. "During the event, the crowd size grew to a number greater than the original estimate."
The crowd reached about 2,500 to 3,000 people, Coffee said.
"The majority of the participants gathered on the west steps and failed to socially distance. Prior to the event start, the Capitol Permit Officer indicated those who were showing up at the Capitol were socially distancing," Coffee said in the statement
Similar events have been taking place across the country.
Most of the people in attendance at Sunday's event were not wearing masks. California is still requiring people to wear face masks in most indoor spaces and some outdoor ones as it fights the novel coronavirus outbreak.
"Given the large number of people present for this event and the fact that it was a relatively short event the on-scene manager made the decision to let the event continue to conclusion. Other factors involved in this decision include factoring in the resources needed to disperse a crowd of this size, safety of the participants, the time it would take, as well as other protest events in the Sacramento area," Coffee said.
In Sacramento County, COVID-19 is considered "widespread," and many nonessential indoor business operations are not allowed. Places of worship are only allowed outdoors and with modifications in place.
https://www.kcra.com/article/large-religious-rally-held-at-california-capitol/33943515