ReOpenNC protesters converge on Raleigh for a fifth week. Counterprotesters take to sky.
Protesters gathered in downtown Raleigh for a fifth week Tuesday, calling for Gov. Roy Cooper to immediately reopen North Carolina and cancel restrictions on business.
The ReOpenNC group had drawn more than a thousand in earlier protests but saw its numbers dwindle last week to about 200 people. Tuesday’s protest started with about 100 people but swelled to about 400 during a march around downtown.
“God bless every one of you,” said organizer Adam Smith, “Every one of you is worth 50 men.”
After he spoke, another protester suggested a campaign to personally thank every person not wearing a face mask. Near him, a counterprotester stood dressed as the grim reaper holding a scythe.
A plane banner with a message
Counterprotesters took their message to the sky Tuesday, with a small plane circling downtown with a banner that read, “Fewer graves if we reopen in waves.”
Todd Stiefel, a Raleigh philanthropist who is immuno-compromised, paid for the banner as a counter-protest.
At about 11:30 a.m., the protesters began marching to the Governor’s Mansion as the song ”Eye of the Tiger” blared. It was the theme song to the movie “Rocky III.” Smith referred to the “Rocky” movies as favorites because they feature an underdog who battles a giant and refuses to give in.
Ashley Smith, the ReOpenNC leader, led protesters in chants of “USA!” and “Cooper’s got to go!” outside the mansion.
Police in face masks stood on the sidewalk, which was barricaded.
“If the new normal looks like Communist China, then I can speak for everyone here when I say we are not in this together,” said Ashley Smith, who is Adam Smith’s wife.
Using a bullhorn, Apex tattoo artist Matthew “Jax” Myers shouted toward the mansion: “Who are you helping?”
Myers, who was arrested two weeks ago for opening his shop in defiance of Cooper’s order, said he had a friend who recently committed suicide — one of the “deaths of despair” that protesters say they fear will increase under imposed isolation.
At noon, protesters began circling downtown blocks chanting “Reopen NC!”
They passed dozens of police officers blocking roads, one of whom, at Jones Street, did not wear a mask.
“An officer without a mask,” said Johnston County organizer Steve Wagner. “That’s what I like to see.”
Argument with Batman
One person Tuesday wore a Batman suit holding a sign that read, “Guns Killed My Parents,” a reference to recent armed demonstrations downtown. Several protesters argued with the man in the superhero suit, disputing his assertion about the fictional hero, but he stood silent.
Smith announced last week that the group would reposition itself as a nonprofit and launch a legal fight against Cooper’s administration.
But Smith said in a Facebook message that the group had hit “roadblock after roadblock” and would drop the idea.
Tuesday’s rally came a few days after Cooper relaxed restrictions for Phase One of the reopening plan, allowing more businesses to open. Smith called the move inadequate.
“Still means no gyms no movie theaters, no hair salons, no massage therapists, no bars, no restaurants for indoor seating,” Smith said in her message to the ReOpenNC Facebook group. “It’s really not that much better than where we were yesterday.”
The crowd was briefly distracted by Reepicheep the “liberty llama,” a pet brought downtown by Greg Hall of Mt. Airy.
“Named after the brave little mouse from the Narnia books,” he said.
Hall said he had come downtown to say hello to his state representative and stopped to let protesters take pictures with the llama, who wore a stars-and-stripes hat with ear holes.
“I actually had no idea this was going on today,” Hall said.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 10:55 AM with the headline "ReOpenNC protesters converge on Raleigh for a fifth week. Counterprotesters take to sky.."