Coronavirus closings protests pop up across the country
Groups are telling demonstrators to stay in their cars
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
Residents taking issue with their states' coronavirus lockdowns are planning protests in states from Michigan to North Carolina.
Proponents of re-opening Ohio's economy demonstrated at the Ohio Statehouse last week with signs featuring phrases like "Free Ohio" and "Open Ohio." Groups with a similar goal are planning protests in North Carolina and Michigan this week.
SOUTH DAKOTA TO TEST CORONAVIRUS IN FIRST STATEWIDE CLINICAL TRIAL
"We’re a grassroots movement of North Carolinians, business owners, moms and dads, plumbers, electricians — people from all walks of life," Reopen NC co-founder Ashley Smith told FOX Business. "More and more businesses are basically going under, and the small percentage that are still open are barely hanging on."
ReopenNC's private Facebook group has grown to nearly 22,000 members since last week.
About 75 people wearing masks and carrying signs protest outside the Ohio Statehouse on Thursday, April 9, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins)
Reopen NC will protest at the North Carolina Capitol in Raleigh on Tuesday, while the Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) has scheduled a drive-by protest in Lansing on Wednesday. The groups want their Democratic governors to reopen their economies as soon as possible.
Social distancing guidelines make protesting more difficult, and both groups are telling demonstrators to stay in their cars, display signs and honk their horns.
"Even though the organization I'm part of is Michigan Conservative Coalition, we have many, many Democrats and independents," MCC board member Meshawn Maddock told FOX Business. "Right now we are all one team. This team wants to get Michigan back to work."
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has faced backlash for her stay-at-home orders, including prohibiting private gatherings regardless of size or family ties.
"We're not saying this is not a horrible disease or that social distancing hasn’t helped," Maddock said. "[Whitmer's] demands are unreasonable. We feel like we’re living under tyranny."
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks with reporters, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, at her office in Lansing, Mich., about delivering the Democratic response tonight to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/David Eggert)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor told City Pulse it was "disappointing" that MCC is planning a demonstration.
“Most people want to stay safe and are staying home as they should," Schor said. "These folks have the right to assembly, which Lansing police and public service protect for all at the Capitol at all times, but no one can place others in danger so we will monitor this to make sure everything is safe.”
Michigan has reported more than 24,000 coronavirus cases, while North Carolina has reported 4,816.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS