SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Demonstrators chaining themselves to a fence outside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s home called for mass prison releases and an end to immigration transfers because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday's protest came as deaths mounted at a San Francisco Bay Area prison where another condemned inmate died over the weekend.

The California Highway Patrol cut the chains linking protesters to the gate of Newsom's residence in suburban Sacramento after about two hours.

Also Monday, more than 100 University of California, San Francisco doctors were among 750 people signing a statement delivered to Newsom calling for more prison releases. His office did not immediately comment.