Cameras Capture Halloween Crowds In Sacramento, Businesses Defend Behavior
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — CBS13 cameras captured crowds at local bars crammed in lines, entering bars without protective face masks and not exactly social distancing during the late hours of Halloween night.
There was mask-less madness inside Cantina on K Street, with many people dancing in close proximity, and people were packed together waiting to get into Mango's in the Lavender District. Once the sun went down on Halloween, COVID-19 rules were thrown out the window.
"It's playing with fire," said Hugo Cervantes, owner of Cilantros. He calls opening a risky move.
"As good as it sounds on paper that's not the reality," he said.
He worries it may set the entire bar and restaurant industry back
"I don't want to go backwards, I'd rather go slowly than go backwards again," Cervantes said.
READ: 'A Little Concerning': Halloween Night Activity At Sacramento Bars Raises Eyebrows
CBS13 spoke on the phone with the owner of Mango's, Joe Gomez, who says his business did nothing wrong. No one was allowed inside Saturday, even though the county allows 25 percent capacity.
He says everyone was outside, which has no capacity restrictions. He also had 16 to 18 security guards enforcing social distancing. He does admit crowds lined up to get a spot on the patio where many were not practicing social distancing.
We showed our video to neighbors, who say this behavior is something they're not surprised to see.
"Just because you're tired of wearing the masks doesn't mean you shouldn't wear it," said Danae.
"How do you enforce a bunch of people that are getting inebriated hanging out at the bars? They need to be able to call somebody to enforce it," said Zachary.
Both the county and state can go after businesses that do break the health order. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control says typically, a simple call or talk with management works to enforce the health order, but they have issued 140 citations since the pandemic started.
The owners of Cantina did not get back to CBS13 about the mask-less crowds inside on Saturday.
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