At a shopping center outside of Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron headlined a third Christmas carol sing-along to protest California’s stern public health restrictions.
KABC-TV reports more than 100 people gathered at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks as the area experiences a rise in cornavirus infections and a shortage of ICU beds. It was the second demonstration of its kind organized at that location, which is next to a drive-up COVID-19 testing center. An ABC-7 journalist covering the event from a helicopter above described the scene as “clearly a crusade of covid denialists,” attending “what is nothing less than a super-spreader event.”
In defiance of local restrictions, 100+ maskless Christmas carolers of all ages have gathered outside of The Oaks shopping mall in Thousand Oaks, CA. The planned super-spreader event is hosted by ‘Growing Pains’ star @KirkCameron and is feet away from a #COVID testing site @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/YNdkiOuj3H
— Chris Cristi (@abc7chriscristi) December 23, 2020
“We are going to be celebrating our God-given liberties, our constitutionally protected rights at this time at Christmas to sing Christmas songs to gather, to assemble, and to sing about the birth of our savior,” Cameron reportedly wrote on social media. “Let your voice be heard at this peaceful protest praising the Prince of Peace.”
Cameron, 50, is perhaps best known for his starring role on the sitcom “Growing Pains,” which aired on ABC from 1985 to 1992.
The former child star wore a red stocking cap, a Santa beard, and told NBC News that all attendees had been encouraged to wear face coverings. However, images from the protest show that most of the carolers did not. Footage from TMZ captured a booth with a sign that read “mask exemption badges here,” as well as a masked counter-protestor accusing the singers of “putting peoples’ lives at risk.”
According to KABC, “There were people of all ages, from children to senior citizens,” but “few, if any, could be seen wearing masks or distancing from each other in the aerial footage from AIR7 HD.”
A health reporter for the Los Angeles Times posted video of the event to her Twitter account, writing, “I wish I could take back every episode of Growing Pains I’ve ever watched.”
I wish I could take back every episode of Growing Pains I've ever watched
— Soumya (@skarlamangla) December 23, 2020
The Oaks issued a statement in response to the recent demonstrations, which read: “We continue to share our community’s concerns over these irresponsible – yet constitutionally protected – events and have law enforcement on property. We reached out to the organizer to ask that the event be moved.”
“We live in a free land, regardless of what they’re trying to do,” Cameron told the crowd. “There is a liberty that we have in Christ that no one can take away.”
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Cameron has hosted similar events throughout this month. The first protest on Dec. 6 drew roughly 500 people, followed by a second demonstration a week later, on Dec. 13, which also had a large turnout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRu37TFXiCY
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said earlier this week that he expects to extend the strict public health order affecting the Southern California region before it expires on Monday.
“I think it’s pretty self-evident,” the governor said during a news conference, citing recent data and trends.
According to NBC News, Cameron said he plans to host more caroling protests.
Related: WATCH: Defying Newsom, Kirk Cameron Holds Huge Outside Caroling Event As ‘Peaceful Protests’