Not spreading holiday cheer! Oregon Governor Brown tells neighbors to call POLICE on COVID violators this Thanksgiving
The governor of Oregon has sparked outrage by saying that neighbors should call the police if they find another family celebrating Thanksgiving with a large gathering in their home, in what one local official said turned people into 'second-rate slaves' in their own homes.
Kate Brown, the Democrat ruler of the state, announced on November 17 that new restrictions would be put in place the following day, with no more than six people allowed inside any one home.
Critics said the 'freeze', as the restrictions were termed, was unconstitutional.
Kate Brown, the governor of Oregon, introduced the two-week 'freeze' on November 17
Protesters in Oregon complained against the new restrictions in Salem on Saturday
Demonstrators gathered outside Brown's residence on Saturday to call for her impeachment
Tootie Smith, elected in November as chair of Clackamas County - which incorporates part of Portland - said that the ruling would make 'second-rate slaves' of people in their own homes, and the sheriff of Marion County, which includes the capital Salem, said it was 'counterproductive'.
'We recognize that we cannot arrest or enforce our way out of the pandemic, and we believe both are counterproductive to public health goals,' the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Brown said that their complaints were harmful to public health.
'Look, all of this is irresponsible,' she said. 'These are politicians seeking headlines, not public servants, trying to save lives. My top priority as governor is to keep Oregonians healthy and safe. That's where I'm focused.'
She said it was straight forward to enforce.
'This is no different than what happens if there's a party down the street and it's keeping everyone awake,' she told KGW8 on November 20.
'What do neighbors do? They call law enforcement because it's too noisy. This is just like that.
'It's like a violation of a noise ordinance.'
For the next two weeks in Oregon, and four weeks in Multnomah County, residents are banned from eating out at restaurants and going to the gym, among other restrictions. Those who break the rules could face up to 30 days in jail, $1,250 in fines, or both.
The Oregon Health Authority on Monday reported 1,174 new confirmed or presumptive cases and six new deaths.
Brown insisted that the two-week 'freeze' was necessary to stop the virus spreading
The state is now averaging a record 1,241 cases a day over the past week, and hospitalizations climbed upward to a new high, with 456 people in the care of medical professionals - 44 more than on Friday.
Oregon's healthcare system is at 88 per cent capacity, Oregon Live reported, with a tighter supply in the metro area, where beds were 92 per cent full as of late last week.
The governor said she is promoting an 'education-first' model, and hopes enforcement won't be needed.
But she said the option was there, to enforce the law.
'This is about saving lives and it's about protecting our fellow Oregonians,' she said.
'We have too many sporadic cases in Oregon. We can't trace these cases to a particular source. We have to limit gatherings and social interactions.'