San Fransisco Mayor London Breed was seen dancing and singing maskless at a nightclub, apparently violating the city’s public health restrictions.
“The fact that we have not been able to enjoy live music in this way since the beginning of this pandemic made it even that much more special and extraordinary,” she told The Chronicle after the performance.
One of the photos published by The Chronicle shows a smiling Breed celebrating with with Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, who was also not wearing a mask.
According to San Francisco’s public health department, every resident, including people who are fully vaccinated, “must wear a well-fitted mask in indoor public settings at all times,” except when they are actively eating or drinking. It also states that “indoor settings, whether public or private, are higher risk for COVID-19 transmission, especially when you are with people you do not live with.”
A statement from the mayor’s office acknowledged that it can be hard to follow public health orders.
“The mayor was excited to be out and had an incredible night at the Black Cat, and wants to support small businesses,” the statement reads. “She was with friends at her table, not wearing a mask while eating and drinking and enjoying herself. She knows health orders are hard and asks everyone to do their best to follow them.”
Breed is not the first California Democrat who has been caught violating COVID-19 restrictions. At the height of the pandemic in November of last year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was broadly criticized for attending a party at the famed French Laundry restaurant in Napa without wearing a mask and with visitors from multiple households, after he discouraged state residents from having holiday gatherings.
