New York Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo warned parts of the state that he was willing to implement another round of economic lockdowns if his constituents continued to ignore the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
Cuomo said, “There is a very real possibility that we would roll back the reopening in those areas,” because of the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
Cuomo reacted to a Tweet showing people outside bars having fun at a block party in New York City over the weekend.
Don't make me come down there… https://t.co/OeVGMW7LEO
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 13, 2020
The governor specifically called out Manhattan and the Hamptons in Long Island in his warning.
We have received 25,000 complaints of reopening violations.
Bars or restaurants that violate the law can lose their liquor license.
People with open containers in the street can be fined.
Police & protesters not wearing masks can be fined.
Local gov't must enforce the law.
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 14, 2020
Cuomo also asked that anyone witnessing violators to send videos.
The New York Post reports:
“People send videos of these violations,” the governor said of the rogue residents — hundreds of whom have been caught on video partying closely together, many without masks, around St. Marks Place in the East Village in Manhattan the past couple of days.
A representative for New York City Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a statement pushing back on Cuomo’s threat of another shutdown.
The New York Post reports:
“These businesses are allowed to be open per the Governor’s guidelines and we don’t believe imprisoning people or taking away their livelihood is the answer.”
Clearly, people should be smarter about maintaining social distancing but at the same time, Cuomo is acting like a bully.
Threatening another shutdown and to take away the licenses of New York bars and restaurants is an unequal application of the rules.
Cuomo is ignoring the numerous New York protests over the death of George Floyd where protesters are not social distanting and many are not wearing masks which is a clear double standard of his COVID-19 rules.
