A California city filled a skate park with 37 tons of sand to deter skateboarders, but dirt bikers decided it was their turf

• The city of San Clemente, California, drew ire for filling a local skate park with 37 tons of sand.
• The idea was to deter skateboarders from congregating at the park — but a group of dirt bikers showed up this week instead, defeating the purpose.
• The bikers even helped some skateboarders shovel out the sand "so they could do some social shredding," one of them wrote on Instagram.
• The controversy around the skate park is being echoed around the country as officials struggle to find a balance between enforcing social distancing measures and appeasing angry, bored residents.
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City officials in San Clemente, California, sparked outrage earlier this month when they filled in a local skate park with 37 tons of sand to deter skateboarders — but they didn't anticipate the group of dirt bikers would take over.

Connor Ericsson, 25, posted videos on his Instagram page this week, showing him and his friends zipping through the sand on their bikes, then helping skateboarders shovel out the sand "so they could do some social shredding."

"I think it's a big joke, these kids are cooped up inside their house and just want to go out and have some fun," Ericsson told KUSI News.

City officials announced in a press release April 1 they would close "park amenities" due to the coronavirus outbreak, but encouraged residents to still visit the facilities in their neighborhoods.

"The City recognizes the importance of physical activity and fresh air," the statement said. "While park amenities may be closed, the open space and scenic views can provide a calming respite during these challenging times."

The closures affected not only skate parks, but also soccer fields and other recreational areas.

Proponents of the rules said the closures will help prevent crowds where the infectious disease could spread, but opponents like Ericsson have argued that it's unfair to close down areas small numbers of people are using for recreation.

"They don't put sand in other parks," Ericsson told CNN. "You're telling me you're allowed to go to Walmart, where there's 500 people at once, but you can't go to the skate park where there's only a handful of kids who want to be outside because they've been cooped up?"

The controversy is being echoed in cities and states around the country, as officials struggle to find a balance between enforcing social distancing measures and appeasing angry residents who say the activities are harmless.

For instance, an Idaho mother was recently arrested after refusing to leave a playground that had been closed due to stay-at-home orders. BuzzFeed News reported that she was part of a far-right protest against the lockdown measures.

A number of states have seen similar small protests crop up, demanding an end to the stay-at-home orders most states have implemented.

Public health officials still say the US hasn't flattened the curve, and that it's important for Americans physically distance themselves as much as possible in order to curb the spread of the disease and give healthcare systems a chance to catch up to the pandemic.