Colorado restaurant sees license suspended after reopening in defiance of state order on Mother's Day

A restaurant in Castle Rock, Colo., has reportedly had its license suspended indefinitely after viral footage showed it packed with customers on Sunday in defiance of state coronavirus mandates.

According to The Denver Post, Gov. Jared Polis (D) said the restaurant, C&C Coffee and Kitchen, will likely have its license suspended for several weeks for causing an “immediate health hazard” with the full reopening.

“I hope, I pray that nobody falls sick from businesses that chose to violate the law,” Polis said Monday. “But if the state didn’t act and more businesses followed suit, it’s a near guarantee that people would lose their lives and it would further delay the opening of legitimate businesses.”

Colorado has ordered restaurants, food courts, cafes and similar businesses to temporarily limit themselves to delivery and drive-up service options as part of efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The Tri-County Health Department told The Denver Post that the restaurant had previously been warned not to reopen its dining room, but that didn't stop it on Mother's Day.

The restaurant’s reopening drew national attention after its owner, April Arellano, took to social media to document the large turnout.

In a Facebook Live video she captured of the crowd, which appears to have since been taken down, Arellano, who was not wearing a mask, said with a smile, “So much for some of those people saying nobody would show up."

“And our patio’s full too. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for this support, guys. I gotta get back to work. Have a great day,” she added.

“Castle Rock” was trending on Twitter later Sunday night. 

Happy Mother’s Day from C& C in Castle Rock, where the owner said this is almost double a normal Mother’s Day. pic.twitter.com/cPSzjmAfAg

— Nick Puckett (@nick__puckett) May 10, 2020