Governor of California Gavin Newsom was seen at a wine-tasting charity event at his vineyard earlier this month. He had thrown on a pair of sunglasses and sipped wine at a luxurious gathering in his sun-drenched vineyard amid the chaotic anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, according to a report by the New York Post.
The posh event known as the “Vineyard Vibes” took place at Odette Estate Winery in Napa Valley on the afternoon of June 7, aiming to raise funds for the Plumpjack Foundation, established by Newsom’s sister.
The report quoted one of the witnesses, who was shocked to see Newsom casually having a glass of wine in a V-neck T-shirt and baseball cap, just a day after violent protests erupted across his city.
“I couldn’t believe it,” the report quoted a person who photographed the Democrat at the wine-tasting event.
“He was just walking around like this was an everyday occurrence,” it added.
Los Angeles protests
However, more than 400 miles away from the event, violent protests broke out in downtown Los Angeles, where some threw Molotov cocktails at authorities, while a few vehicles were set on fire.
The violence began after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids on illegal migrants, escalating to a level where the US President Donald Trump called in the National Guard despite opposition from Newsom, who criticised the Republican for escalating the situation.
Newsom was present at a wine-tasting charity event for nearly 90 minutes, the report quoted a person aware of the development. On the same day, Trump sent troops to control the violence.
The report mentioned that the event included “contemporary yet sophisticated” wines, live jazz music and local sources pizza and smash burgers.
“It’s the perfect kick-off to summer fun,” it cited the promotional language of the event. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Newsom clarified that he “proudly attended” the annual fundraiser for the UCSF Cancer Centre in “honour of his mother, who died of breast cancer,” the report said.