Residents gathered in downtown Livermore Saturday to show support for local businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The community group Save Our Town - Livermore took to Facebook to organize the rally.
The event was described on the page as "an organic, community-driven gathering being planned in order to show support for our local businesses who are starting to face the reality of closing for good."
Many of the dozens of attendees believe the reopening rules are too strict. They believe they could take steps to safely reopen faster.
Nancy Lam, who runs Mimosa Nail and Spa, made a plea.
“I just want to open up, I just want to survive,” she said. “I need to support my family. I have two kids.”
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Lam said she has plans for social distance and sanitizing, but nail salons are considered a high risk business and it is unclear when any will open in the Bay Area.
Another couple at the rally owns a Livermore yoga studio.
“We can reduce our class sizes, we can accommodate in multiple directions in multiple ways, but we’re not even allowed to try,” said yoga studio co-owner Razi Hasni.
However, not a lot of social distancing took place amongst the supporters at the rally.
Alameda County's health officials said the county anticipates to safely move into "Early Stage 2" activities next week. The reopening is described in detail in the county's page here.
“Demonstrations like today, that’s not the way to convince the county Livermore is ready to open,” the city’s mayor said Saturday. “The governor and the Health Department are driven by data, and when the data shows it’s safe to open, we will have the guidance in place.”
The Save Our Town community members said in a Facebook post that they believe "our businesses can be prosperous and cautious at the same time."
Organizers asked residents to respect social distancing at the event and to be "smart, safe and respectful."
"We are merely exercising our 1st amendment right to gather in support of saving our town."
