Nancy Pelosi's visit to San Francisco hair salon was an 'honest misunderstanding,' Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf says
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to a San Francisco hair salon amid COVID-19 was an "honest misunderstanding," albeit an unfortunate one.
"As elected officials, we have to set an example. We have to be extra careful that we are complying with rules and really being role models," the mayor said.
Pelosi received criticism this week after a visit to a San Francisco salon during a time when indoor hair salons were not allowed to operate under the city's COVID-19 guidelines.
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A spokesperson for the San Francisco congresswoman said the business offered to cut Pelosi's hair and told her they were allowed to have one customer at a time inside the Union Street business.
"The Speaker complied with the rules as presented to her by this establishment," said spokesperson Drew Hammill.
Video footage showed Pelosi with a mask around her neck, rather than her face.
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Under San Francisco's COVID-19 regulations, indoor salons are not allowed to operate.
"I think it's very unfortunate," Mayor Schaaf said. "It sounds like it was an honest misunderstanding, but I think people do expect us to be perfect, so we will try to do that. I know it's hard, speaking from personal experience."
Hair salons began operating outdoors Tuesday in San Francisco.
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