Gatherings still illegal, unsafe amid COVID, Fort Worth leaders warn as summer nears
On playgrounds children run together, at parks and along trails, friends huddle together — we want traditional summer time fun to be upon us.
But that’s still not allowed.
Whether planned or by happenstance, gatherings are not still permitted under Gov. Greg Abbott’s most recent order to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price says it is illegal to gather in groups, and Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley wants everyone to wear a mask when they’re with others.
A massive party May 10 at a Fort Worth park was one of the latest examples of people’s eagerness to gather, but as Memorial Day approaches, officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say it’s best to stay away from each other.
The gathering of at least 400 in Village Creek Park ended in a shooting that left five people wounded. Witnesses reported hearing 30 gunshots. As of noon Friday police had made no arrests, and, without a formal records request, refused to answer whether citations were written for organizing a mass gathering during the pandemic.
In briefly discussing the shooting, Price said last Monday during a coronavirus briefing that residents should not gather in groups.
“Those mass gatherings are not legal, nor are they safe,” she said.
Whitley said he agrees, but told the Star-Telegram Friday it was hard for local officials to define the size of a mass gathering because of the language in Abbott’s order. Gatherings larger than 15 or 20 people would be pushing the limit, he said, but Fort Worth and Tarrant County orders don’t define crowd sizes since they mimic the state edict.
Abbott’s order leaves much room for interpretation.
As it pertains to gatherings, the decree says Texans shall “minimize social gatherings and minimize in-person contact with people who are not in the same household,” except for religious worship.
An “Individual Minimum Standard Health Protocols” checklist from the governor’s office updated May 5 says Texans should avoid groups of more than five.
But it’s unclear what authority local officials have in enforcing social distancing or breaking up gatherings.
Whitley said he wished Abbott’s declaration was clearer. The city attorney’s office said it “assumed” mass gatherings are banned, but referred questions about specifics to the Attorney General’s Office, which did not immediately return a request for clarification.
“If you go through all the governor’s orders, I’d say vague is a description that could be used multiple times,” Whitley said.
In announcing a multipart plan to reopen Texas, Abbott made it clear his order supersedes local efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has chastised local authorities for attempting to enact stricter guidelines. His office sent letters to Dallas, Bexar and Travis counties as well as the mayors of San Antonio and Austin this week saying elements of local orders were “unlawful and unenforceable.” At issue in Dallas County were orders related to shelter in place, houses of worship and the wearing of masks.
The CDC says we should maintain a distance of at least six feet, avoid groups of any size and stay out of crowded places.
“Keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slowing its spread locally and across the country and world,” the CDC website says.
Absent the ability to impose stricter limits, Whitley said wanted “everybody who goes out to wear a mask.” People should avoid spending prolonged time with anyone from outside their household, he said. If gatherings are necessary, Whitley said people should use “plain common sense” and practice social distancing.
“It’s just unfathomable to me that folks would just disregard all recommendations, all prudent behavior just because they think they can,” Whitley said.
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
