Kirk Cameron.Photo: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Growing PainsactorKirk Cameronis facing backlash after participating in a second Christmas caroling event held in protest of California’sstay-at-home orderamid the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday evening, Cameron, 50, shared photos and videos on his Instagram Story from the caroling event at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks, California, a state where coronavirus cases continue to surge with tens of thousands of new cases being reported daily.
In the videos, dozens of attendees were seen singing closely together, many without masks, defying the state’smandatethat everyone must wear a face covering when outside of their home.
“We do not condone this irresponsible — yet constitutionally protected — peaceful protest event planned. We share your concern and have notified the Sheriff’s office,” read the statement, which was posted on Twitter. “As well, we have reached out to the event planner to ask that they do not use The Oaks as their venue.”
In a statement to PEOPLE, Cameron said the caroling was intended to instill “hope and encouragement.”
“During this awful pandemic, people are longing for hope and encouragement and we want to offer that to them…we encourage attendees wear masks and the freedom to socially distance, but we won’t deny our neighbors the opportunity to sing Christmas carols outside in whatever manner they choose,” he said. “Spirits were lifted and people were encouraged! This is America — the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Kirk Cameron/Instagram
Cameron attended a similar event last week and documented it on his social media page, telling followers that the group would be “celebrating our God-given liberties” to gather.
“It’s T-38 minutes for our Christmas caroling peaceful protest,” Cameron captioned in anInstagram postahead of the event. “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.”
Ventura County, where Thousand Oaks is located, is currently experiencing a rise in coronavirus cases and remains under a regional stay-at-home order issued earlier in December.
On Monday, 303 COVID-19 patients were being treated at hospitals across the county, triple the number of people with the virus who required hospital care on Dec. 1. Also on Monday, the county’s ICU availability rate hit 0 percent, according to local news outlet, theVC Star.
Last week, Cameron’sGrowing Painsco-star Tracey Gold expressed her concern over the actor’s choices.
“Checking in with my dear brother Mike. @KirkCameron As your more intelligent sister I want you to know that I disapprove,” shewroteon Twitter. “I’m worried about you brother AND your family. Wear a mask. Stay home. Sing later.”
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source: people.com
