A landowner in Northern California has caused a stir by tearing down an 8-foot fence and posting a handwritten warning, threatening that anyone who uses the access to the beach could be shot.
Locals attempting to reach Thornton State Beach, a 58-acre public space overseen by California State Parks, found themselves blocked by barricades. Reports indicate that many residents quickly alerted authorities about the sudden restrictions.
San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa received numerous emails about the intimidating closure, each one written on cardboard and featuring a crude drawing of a gun.
Canepa visited the area himself and expressed being “truly appalled” at the situation.
The sign affixed to the fence warned that “trespassers” would be shot if they crossed onto the owner’s private property, adding that the “owner” was “armed with a 9mm gun.”
This fence effectively blocks the only path to the beach, which sees thousands of hikers and horseback riders annually.
Canepa has taken action by contacting the California Coastal Commission, requesting they intervene to have the fence removed. The property owner remains unidentified, but it’s known that the land was purchased last November.
The threatening sign was later taken down by the Daly City police, but the fence still stands—now with holes that have been cut out.
I mean, folks are really upset about this. Canepa mentioned, “I’ve been elected for 18 years and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
A council hearing in Daly City to decide what happens next with the fence is set for Monday. Canepa also plans to have a conversation with the California Coastal Commission chairman later in the week.
According to Canepa, this situation isn’t just an inconvenience; it also raises safety concerns since it limits emergency personnel’s access to the area if something were to happen.
“This has always been a place where people walked,” he noted. “You can bring your dog. It’s widely used. Erecting gates that keep people out fundamentally conflicts with the values of San Mateo County.”
