Los Angeles residents are expressing concern over New Year’s Eve concerts planned in the area by Christian evangelical singer Sean Feucht, citing what they call his lack of regard for coronavirus precautions.
Community leaders have asked Feucht, who has hosted several Christian music concerts across the U.S. this year with maskless attendees, to reconsider holding performances in Skid Row and Echo Park, with some vowing to block off the area, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“We know based on his track record whatever he’s going to do is going to be maskless,” Church Without Walls pastor Stephen “Cue” Jn-Marie told the newspaper. “The problem we’re facing is even prior to the stay-at-home order, people come into the community and say they’re bringing resources but what they’re bringing is the disease.”
Jn-Marie teamed up with Pete White, executive director of the L.A. Community Action Network, to create a Facebook event calling on other residents to help form a blockade with their vehicles to prevent Feucht’s equipment from being set up.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said she has asked the city’s attorneys and health officials to look into the concert plans.
“I am aware and highly concerned of the planned events and have asked our Department of Public Health to look into this matter. Since this is in the jurisdiction of the City of Los Angeles, I’ve also referred the matter to the City Attorney’s office,” Solis told CBS Los Angeles.
Feucht responded to the backlash in a tweet Wednesday.
“The @CBSLA did a hit piece on us tonight (not surprising) where a local pastor said this: ‘I don’t think you need to be loving Jesus in LA right now.’ You cant make this up! Doing the works of Jesus (heal the sick, feed the poor, cast our demons) is ALL we’re called to do!” he wrote.
California, and in particular Los Angeles County, has been hit hard in the latest coronavirus wave. Nearly 746,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in the county since the pandemic began, leading to almost 10,000 deaths, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.