Raleigh’s NPR affiliate reports:
Dozens of people, many wearing red, white and blue and waving American flags, gathered outside the Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh Tuesday to protest the statewide stay-at-home order that has shut down businesses and crippled North Carolina’s economy in an attempt to slow and contain the spread of coronavirus.
The order, issued March 27 by Gov. Roy Cooper, prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people, closes businesses not considered “essential,” and asks people to stay home other than trips to buy groceries, pick up prescriptions, visit a health care provider, exercise, care for family members, volunteer to serve the needy or visit a place of worship.
“I am so proud of us,” said Ashley Smith, a Boone business owner and co-founder of the Facebook group called ReopenNC. “We will continue to work day and night until our governor opens up for business.” But Raleigh police disagreed. After observing the crowd for about an hour, officers determined it was too many people too close together and asked them to disperse.
One woman was arrested for refusing the order to disperse. Read the full article. The group’s FB page has 22K followers. Cultists are flooding social media accounts for the Raleigh Police with claims of “police state” and Nazi comparisons.
Police officers in Raleigh declared protest a non essential activity. We no longer have a first amendment right of peaceable assembly. This is why we have a second amendment. #ReopenNC
— Mike S. Adams (@MikeSAdams) April 14, 2020
“You can not gather in protest.” A group of protesters has gathered in Raleigh to push for N.C. businesses to be reopened. Arrests have been made – WBTV /@MichaelWNCN
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 14, 2020
The protestors are in violation of the Governor’s Executive Order and have been asked to leave. #ReopenNC pic.twitter.com/AIEetS42NE
— Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) April 14, 2020