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Husband of ReOpenNC leader says he’s ‘willing to kill people’ to fight government control
With the ReOpenNC group planning protests in five North Carolina cities on Memorial Day, the husband of one of the group’s founders published a Facebook video that says violence shouldn’t be ruled out.
“Are we willing to kill people? Are we willing to lay our lives down? We have to say yes,” Adam Smith said in a Facebook Live video posted on Friday.
Later in the 17-minute video, he said, “If you bring force, we’re gonna bring force. If you bring guns, we’re gonna bring guns. If you’re armed with this, we’re gonna be armed with this.”
Smith, husband of ReOpenNC founder Ashley Smith of Morganton, took the video down after it was first reported by the Raw Story website. But Ashley Smith reposted the video Sunday afternoon on the ReOpenNC Facebook page.
“Maybe you agree with him and maybe you don’t, but we have nothing to hide,” Ashley Smith wrote on Facebook. “This group is built on the Constitution and that includes free speech and the second amendment. He is simply stating to protect his family and our freedom he is willing to take up arms like our forefathers did.”
Adam Smith at Blue Igloo demonstration
Ashley Smith said her husband is an ex-Marine who remains “willing to die for all of you too,” as he was when he was enlisted.
Adam Smith was also present along with other armed Blue Igloo demonstrators in downtown Raleigh on May 16. Blue Igloo is likely a play on the word “Boogaloo,” which the Anti-Defamation League describes as a slang term for a coming civil war.
The ReOpenNC group formed on Facebook on April 7, quickly growing to its current 78,900 members. The group has held numerous protests in downtown Raleigh, near the Legislative Building and the Governor’s Mansion, in opposition to Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive orders aimed at slowing the coronavirus spread.
State Capitol Police arrested Ashley Smith at one of the ReOpenNC rallies in Raleigh for disobeying an executive order. In a video of the incident, Adam Smith calls police “thugs” for arresting her. “Look at these thugs, people, arresting her for walking on the sidewalk,” Adam Smith says.
Even as Cooper relaxed social restrictions on Friday, moving the state into Phase Two of his reopening plan by allowing more businesses to open and restaurants to resume indoor dining at reduced capacity, the group planned Memorial Day “Freedom Rallies” on Monday. The rallies are planned in Charlotte, Asheville, Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington at 11 a.m., according to the group’s Facebook page.
The group seeks an end to all social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected 23,222 people and led to 744 deaths in the state since March.
‘Our founding fathers would not be pleased’
In the Facebook Live video, Adam Smith calls suggestions to wear masks and practice social distancing as part of an “indoctrination” test.
“It is a test run to see how much liberty we’re willing to give up without a fight,” Adam Smith said. “Boy, you know what I say? Not an inch. Not an inch, Mr. Cooper.”
While calling anyone who took issue with her husband’s comments “disgraceful,” Ashley Smith said Sunday that he “maybe” could have chosen his words better.
“Could he have said it better?” Ashley Smith said on Facebook. “Maybe, but that’s not for anyone to decide how a free person should speak their mind. Our founding fathers would not be pleased that we gave up so much for so little. Look how hard we are having to fight to get our freedom back!”
Ashley Smith did not respond Sunday to requests for comment.
The News & Observer reached out Sunday to police departments in the five cities where ReOpenNC plans Monday protests.
“I’m not sure if anyone is aware of that video, but the group has a permit to use the space (for the rally),” said Ron Glenn, public information officer for the Greensboro Police Department. “We have officers assigned to work that event and enough resources in place to handle that event. We’re not expecting any issues from that group. The organizers have followed the protocol required to be in that area.”
Police from the other four cities have not responded to The N&O.
Staff writer Jonas Pope IV contributed to this report.
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