For those that don’t know off road trails near Moab, Utah are incredibly popular. People from all over the world visit the area to go off-roading and take in the sights.
Not anymore; the Biden administration is closing 317 miles of trails, citing any excuse they could think of.
Much like the Biden Administration is creating gun control rules out of thin air to restrict the 2nd Amendment, Biden’s Department of the Interior is doing the same out west with land.
However, there’s a new front on the Democrat’s war on fun. The Democrat-run city of San Diego is banning yoga.
Yoga instructors are now outlaws, park rangers have become yoga police, and the calming practice has been thrust into an unexpected battle.
It all started at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park,which is where yoga enthusiasts would gather to practice their poses against the breathtaking backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. However, things took a surprising turn when park rangers arrived unannounced to disrupt the tranquil scene, warning instructors and students alike that they were in violation of new regulations.
San Diego, known as a yoga haven, has always drawn people looking for a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. “San Diego is the mecca of yoga, it’s the reason people move here,” said yoga instructor Kody Hetherington. “If you don’t allow people to take care of themselves in this healthy way outside, then what are people going to do?”
The city of San Diego simply will not tolerate these Lululemon-clad yoga participants defecating/urinating, starting dangerous fires, littering trash and refuse, smoking fentanyl, stealing, & harassing citizens on local beaches! Oh wait, that’s downtown San Diego. And not yoga… pic.twitter.com/4WyAY2GU0E
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 18, 2024
So, what triggered this unexpected clash? City officials revised a sidewalk-vendor ordinance, which clarified that fitness classes, including yoga, held in public parks and beaches require proper permits and are restricted to designated spaces. This change led to the park rangers’ intervention in May, turning yoga enthusiasts into criminals for using a tax payer funded park to engage in free activity. That’s right, the yoga instructors do not charge a fee for the gatherings.
Local yogis accuse city officials of bowing to pressure from affluent homeowners who don’t want their scenic ocean views interrupted. “Honestly, it seems like a wealthy, privileged few are trying to keep their ocean view clear of other folks,” said Amy Baack, a yoga instructor at Sunset Cliffs since 2021.
Baack and another instructor have even filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming their First Amendment rights are being violated. They argue that free yoga classes, open to anyone willing to listen, are a form of protected speech. City officials, however, have a different perspective. They argue that yoga classes can pose safety risks and crowd out other activities in public spaces. While individuals are still allowed to practice yoga on San Diego’s beaches, organized classes are another story.
The city of San Diego bans free beach yoga but looks the other way as hundreds enter illegally on our coast.
California is a sanctuary state. Call our governor and let him know your feelings about how this effects the rest of the nation.
Gavin Newsom (916) 445-2841The County… pic.twitter.com/yu7Yzx8iKb
— Melissa O’Connor (@Melissa_in_CA) May 15, 2024
For years, Hetherington taught a weekly evening yoga class on a grassy bluff overlooking the ocean at Palisades Park. Her classes were popular, drawing up to 50 students in the warmer months. But when she arrived for her class last month, park rangers were already there, ready to issue tickets. “It’s kinda creepy they knew exactly who I was,” Hetherington said. “They pretty much stalked our social media and Instagram to figure out the teachers who were guiding the classes.”
The pandemic saw a boom in outdoor fitness classes, including yoga. However, some residents complained that the classes were becoming too large, clogging popular spots and parking areas. San Diego City Councilmember Jennifer Campbell explained that her constituents demanded enforcement due to concerns about the wear and tear on the cliffs and the need for public safety.
Sue Martin, a local resident and officer of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council, shared her worries. She mentioned that yoga classes often blocked views and posed potential safety risks with participants practicing near the cliff’s edge.
Park Rangers are guarding San Diego’s coast against a potential mass Yoga outbreak. Tonight, Mayor @ToddGloria made national news for all the wrong reasons. pic.twitter.com/SoM33cZQXL
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 22, 2024
Despite the controversy, the yoga community remains resilient. Instructors like Steven Hubbard, who has taught classes at Palisades Park for 17 years, are finding creative solutions. Hubbard now broadcasts his classes from his backyard, while his students follow along from the bluff via their smartphones.
“I wouldn’t say I feel like an outlaw,” Hubbard said. “I am a stubborn person. It’s kind of natural for me to find a workaround, especially for something I believe in.”
So driving out onto the desert in Utah is banned, and if you dare do yoga in a public place, you’ll be fined. That’s the modern Democrat party for ya.
