SLO protesters call for governor to lift coronavirus restrictions
More than 60 people gathered Friday in front of the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse to protest the coronavirus pandemic restrictions applied by the State of California and blame Governor Newsom for not lifting them soon enough.
They said the shutdown has harmed business owners, workers and families more than the coronavirus does, and violates their basic freedoms and rights.
A Facebook page started April 16 by Templeton resident Jennifer Grinager, who has a background in marriage counseling, has grown to almost 1,500 members. She says she found that people who’ve joined are “on the same page” with her. They have mostly been the ones organizing the protests.
“It’s very much grassroots”, Grinager says.
“We know that things are starting to open up. But the regulations that are being placed on businesses in order for them to open up are still too restrictive,” Grinager said. “Businesses owners know what they need to do. They probably have better ideas of what they can do to keep things safe that are reasonable.”
“It’s not just about the economy. It’s about lives. In my opinion, it’s not really the ‘health of people versus the health of businesses’ dichotomy. The health of businesses is the health of individual people.”
San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Debbie Arnold was one of those who attended the protest.
“I’m here to listen,” Arnold said. “Many of these people are my constituents or citizens of this county. I represent the people. The government is doing what they can to protect their citizens. Everything is about a balance. We’re going to experience a loss of tax revenue. A loss of services. A change in how we’re handling our criminal activity that could threaten our safety.”
“People are really worried about giving up what they consider their constitutional freedoms, in the name of health threats, after this length of time,” Arnold added. “All those things are in the mix right now.”
The attendees and speakers at the protest were passionate about their cause.
Some held signs that said “My Governor is an Idiot” or held “Don’t Tread on Me” flags. Most were adhering to social distancing guidelines, however not many wore masks. It was a cool, breezy afternoon.
“There should be cautions and restrictions in place, but those should be determined by the people who own the businesses,” Grinager said. “They know best what their business does, how they can proceed in a safe manner. Every business is different.”