California residents are opposing the new curfew order mandated by Governor Gavin Newsom as they feel the order was unnecessary.

On Sunday, thousands of people from 16 different California cities took to the streets to protest the curfew order, which required people to stay at from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

It is the first statewide stay-at-home order in California since March. Essential workers are exempted from the curfew order, said One America News Network.

California Sets Curfew After A New Surge In COVID-19 Cases
(Photo : Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)
People dine along 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter before an imposed curfew on November 21, 2020 in San Diego, California. California Governor Gavin Newsom has imposed a curfew, starting at 10 pm on Saturday evening, on several California counties due to an increase of COVID-19 infection rates around the state.

According to a report from Breitbart, the crowd consisted of people carrying Trump/Pence flags and banners that said, "Open up California."

The protest started gathering a crowd past 10 p.m. and happened in areas such as Huntington Beach and San Clemente.

Many of the protesters believe closing the streets at 10 p.m. daily was going too far.

Read also: Americans Could Receive COVID-19 Vaccine by Mid-December, 'Warp Speed' Advisor Says

"I'd like to see curfews go away, I don't really agree with it," one demonstrator told OANN, telling the news site that the state already has "too many restrictions as is."

They added that as many people don't agree with the city officials and governor, they want to see the situation dealt with differently.

California Protests' Bottomline is Freedom

Syndie Ly, who helped organize the protest in San Clemente told Breitbart that she thinks Newsom moving most of California to purple tier and putting a curfew in place was "an abuse of power."

 "This movement is about us rising up for our freedom and against Governor Newsom's overreaching edicts," she said.

Meanwhile, at the Huntington Beach protest, demonstrator Nancy Vu-Kerr said she believes Americans as well as citizens of other countries have to "stand up against this." She believes the people's freedoms were being put at risk.

Russ Taylor, who also helped in organizing, said the real bottom line of the demonstrations was freedom.

Taylor recognized that people have to be responsible amid the pandemic but believes that fear should not get in the way of people's "personal liberties."

Law Enforcement Bucks Curfew Order

As per California law, local jurisdictions are allowed to impose stricter regulations than what the state mandates, but it appears even law enforcement doesn't agree with putting a curfew in place.

Several sheriffs in the state have already expressed refusal to actively enforce the new mandates, said a report from Daily Wire.

Sheriffs from Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura released statements over social media pushing back against the new restrictions.

Read also: CDC Finds Most COVID-19 Infections Spread Through Asymptomatic People

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said they will not be responding to calls based solely on non-compliance to the new order or other health guidelines.

Bianco said they will do so to "ensure constitutional rights are not violated and to limit potential negative interactions and exposure to our deputies."

There are at least 13 agencies in California that said they don't plan on enforcing the mandates during the coming Thanksgiving festivities.

All 'purple-tier' regions were affected by the mandate, which means 40 out of the state's 58 counties are covered.

Under the new restrictions, people are not allowed to leave their homes unless it is for emergencies, to go to the grocery or walk their dog.