NEW YORK – Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned a large wedding in Williamsburg from going forward after learning that upwards of 10,000 people were expected to attend.
The wedding, scheduled for Monday, is for a grandchild of a prominent Satmar rabbi.
During his press briefing Saturday, Cuomo said state and city officials served an order Friday night prohibiting the event. They expect to be met with opposition from the partygoers through a hearing.
While the event is scheduled for a location outside the red, orange and yellow cluster zones, it's still in violation of rules prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people.
“You can get married; you just can’t have 1,000 people at your wedding. You get the same result at the end of the day,” Cuomo said. “It’s also cheaper.”
All of this comes as some members of the Orthodox Jewish community protest strict social distancing measures aimed at stopping the spread of the virus in hot spots in parts of Brooklyn and Queens, as well Rockland and Orange counties.
The positivity rate in coronavirus red zones has dropped slightly to 4.34 percent, while the state’s overall infection rate remains low, at 1.1 percent, with over 1,500 new cases.