It is a pity that, apparently, no one got arrested. In my youth, people knew that the only way to stop arbitrary exercises of government authority like this one was to force them to arrest you or give you your way. This is especially true in dealing with unelected administrative ‘authorities’ such as fire marshals, health officials, building officials, etc., etc. If we are not willing to uphold the limits of government the hard way, we will not have any limits at all. It must cost them something to try to arbitrarily chase people out of a public space like that. Some shopkeeper should have refused to close, also, and given refuge, and been willing to be arrested themselves.

Related: “Westfield Galleria open for shopping day after flash mob” by Ed Fletcher and Matt Kawahara at Sacbee.com