Protesters challenge stay-at-home orders across the US
A person holds a sign while gathering with others to protest stay-at-home orders put into place due to the COVID-19 outbreak Tuesday, April 21, 2020, outside the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo. Several hundred gathered to protest the restrictions and urge the reopening of businesses closed in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Over the past few weeks, protests have taken place across the United States in response to governors’ shelter-in-place orders. The rallies are making headlines on various news platforms, most recently with the involvement of health care workers in Colorado who stood in opposition to the protestors.
Protests like these are occurring locally, including a demonstration held in Chattanooga on April 19.
According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, around 150 individuals gathered on the Market Street Bridge to protest “attacks on their constitutional rights in the government’s actions to stop the spread of the coronavirus.”
Junior applied mathematics major Caleb Frampton, who participated in the protest, heard about the demonstration through a Facebook group and decided to join as a voice for small businesses.
“Chattanooga is a city built on small businesses,” Frampton said. “Many of these businesses have already had to file for bankruptcy. I’m not questioning the legitimacy of COVID-19, but there has to be a way to safely open these businesses again, or this shutdown will cause more damage than [the virus] ever could.”
Frampton said these types of non-violent protests are beneficial within the community.
“Peaceful protests are always beneficial,” Frampton said. “The opportunity to assemble and petition the government legally is one thing that makes America so great.”
In a conference held Monday evening, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the state’s stay-at-home order will officially conclude on April 30.
During the briefing, Lee mentioned the need for economic recovery and confirmed that social distance guidelines will still be in order.
“For the good of our state, social distancing must continue, but our economic shutdown cannot,” Lee said. “We plan to keep the same social distancing guidelines in place even beyond and into the next few weeks.”
In an April 16 press conference, President Trump revealed plans to reopen the nation as soon as May 1.
“America wants to be open, and Americans want it to be open,” Trump said. “Based on the latest data, our team of experts agree we can start the next front in our war, which we are calling Opening Up America Again, and that is what we are doing, opening up our country, and we have to do that.”
In an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19 and allow small businesses to get back on their feet, Trump announced on Twitter he is signing an Executive Order temporarily suspending immigration to the United States.
The protests are expected to continue as governors make the decision on whether to lift the bans. To watch Gov. Bill Lee’s coronavirus update, click here.
