New York City beaches will NOT open on Memorial Day and Bill de Blasio threatens to close them off with fences as he also hits out at partygoers congregating outside bars on the streets of Manhattan
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday morning that the Big Apple's beaches will not open on Memorial Day and he's not comfortable with people gathering outside bars.
After giving updates about the coronavirus in the city, de Blasio addressed questions about beaches reopening in the city.
'There's obviously a huge interest in the beaches and the state of New York has said that different localities can make different choices and some are deciding in the metropolitan area to open beaches for Memorial Day - the traditional start of the beach season.
'I've said before and I'll say it again. We are not opening our beaches on Memorial Day. It is not safe. It is not the right thing to do in the epicenter of this crisis.'
New York City was declared the epicenter for the virus in the United States mid-March. There are more than 190,000 confirmed cases of the virus with at least 15,888 confirmed deaths and 4,832 probable deaths.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday morning that the Big Apple's beaches will not open on Memorial Day and he's not comfortable with people gathering outside bars
De Blasio said Sunday that the city will not be opening 'our beaches on Memorial Day. It is not safe. It is not the right thing to do in the epicenter of this crisis'. A security guard patrols Orchard Beach in the Bronx on Sunday
De Blasio said walking on beaches is permitted, but if people start to swim or defy social distancing guidelines then the city will take more drastic measures and put fencing in place to keep people out
A man adjusts a child's mask before heading out to the sand at Orchard Beach in the Bronx on Sunday
Police officers hand out masks to people visiting Orchard Beach in the Bronx on Sunday
People are seen practicing social distancing in white circles in Brooklyn's Domino Park on Sunday
New Yorkers enjoyed a day out in the sun amid the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday
Dozens of people were spotted at New York City's Brighton Beach on Friday as temperatures rose to the 80s
'After all of the progress we've made fighting back this disease, we're not taking that chance,' he added. De Blasio said city officials are going to be 'very smart and careful' about reopening and will continue to watch indicators, which don't 'have us where we need to be yet'.
The mayor said he hasn't ruled out beaches reopening later in the summer.
De Blasio said walking on beaches is permitted, but if people start to swim or defy social distancing guidelines then the city will take more drastic measures and put fencing in place to keep people out.
During his Sunday morning press conference, de Blasio also addressed reports of people hanging out around bars in the city. This image shows people gathering outside an establishment in Manhattan on Saturday
Several people were seen hanging out near Brady's sports bar in Manhattan on Saturday
This photo shows the scene at East 84th Street in Manhattan where dozens of people were seen not wearing masks and hanging out near restaurants and bars
People congregate with open drinks outside bars on Manhattan's Hudson St
On Friday, Gov Andrew Cuomo announced that New York state beaches will be open for Memorial Day Weekend.
Local agencies can decide not to open them, but if they choose to they must meet Cuomo's guidelines.
The decision was made in coordination with New Jersey and Connecticut, which previously announced May 22 reopenings for their beaches.
He said on Friday that he had to do the same for New York to avoid people from the state flocking to New Jersey or Connecticut's shores and potentially sparking another outbreak.
Half the normal amount of people will be allowed on to the beaches and it will be enforced at parking lots. People must stay 6ft apart and if they are unable to, they must wear masks.
Cuomo has extended the stay-at-home order until June 13 but regions are likely to meet reopening requirements before then.
While the beaches will reopen, concession stands will not be open to avoid people lining up for food and drinks, Cuomo said.
During his Sunday morning press conference, de Blasio also addressed reports of people hanging out around bars in the city.
'The bars are a different matter,' de Blasio said, referring to multiple reports that people were gathering on sidewalks and drinking Saturday night on the Upper East Side.
'I'm not comfortable at all with people congregating outside bars. It's the same rule.
'If you start to form groups of people and then 2, 3, 5 and it becomes 6, it becomes 10, it becomes 15, that violates what we're saying about social distancing and that puts lives in danger.'
'We are not going to tolerate people starting to congregate. It's as simple as that,' de Blasio said, adding that more officers will be sent to the Upper East Side to patrol the area.
New York City beaches will NOT open on Memorial Day and Bill de Blasio threatens to close them off with fences as he also hits out at partygoers congregating outside bars on the streets of Manhattan
![New York City beaches will NOT open on Memorial Day and Bill de Blasio threatens to close them off with fences as he also hits out at partygoers congregating outside bars on the streets of Manhattan]()
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May 18, 2020
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