On Tuesday about 75 protestors gathered at the Cramton Bowl stadium in Montgomery and marched to the front steps of the state capitol to protest Governor Kay Ivey‘s safer-at-home order that extended some business closures statewide until at least May 15th.
“You’ve got no right telling us what to do,” one protestor yelled over the crowd! “You are a lawless governor!”
Several protestors were waving American and Alabama state flags. Others were waving signs protesting the safer-at-home order.
The demonstration was organized by Paul Sanford, a community activist and former Alabama state Senator. Sanford is worried about the economic repercussions of the ongoing economic slowdown on the state’s economy. The Montgomery Advertiser quoted Sanford as saying, “If it [the economy]stays closed for [another]ten days, my fear is there’s a number of businesses that will not survive.”
Many of the protestors did not appear to practice social distancing and were well within six feet of each other. Only a handful were wearing masks.
Tuesday’s protest is not the first protest against pandemic related closures. A group of a few dozen gathered on April 25th near the capitol, on Dexter Avenue, to protest closure orders, as reported by WHNT. Other protests have taken place elsewhere in the state.
Not all of Alabama’s leadership have been totally on board with how the pandemic closure has been handled. Most notably, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, in conjunction with the Small Business Commission, urged Kay Ivey to avoid extending the economic shutdown and to allow all businesses to reopen.
Kay Ivey’s safer-at-home order replaced the shelter-at-home order that expired on April 30th. The original order allowed people to leave their homes only for essential work or to buy essential supplies. The new safer-at-home order allows retail businesses to re-open at a reduced capacity, but did not allow restaurants to re-open to on premises dining and does not allow hair salons or gyms to reopen. Churches are still not allowed to resume services.
