Protesters call on Gov. Wolf, local officials to reopen Bucks County
DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania -- About 100 people gathered outside of the Bucks County Courthouse on Wednesday morning calling on Gov. Tom Wolf and other officials to reopen the county amid the ongoing pandemic.
A Facebook page called "ReOpen Bucks County PA," which has over 3,000 members including small business owners, staged the rally at 10 a.m.
They say they want their political leaders to lobby the governor to allow them to reopen.
"We want to support small businesses. We feel like it is time and if small businesses can't open, then why should Lowe's, and Home Depot, and Target and Walmart have lines out the door? If they can social distance then so can small businesses," said Jeff Carr, of Doylestown.
During Wednesday's rally, protesters could he heard chanting "open Bucks" and "we want our freedom."
Others were seen waving Trump and American flags while saying the "Pledge of Allegiance."
The protesters said they fully understand a new-normal will include continued adherence to social distancing rules and face masks.
"We truly want to work with those guidelines. We really do, and we feel like we can reopen small businesses. We can keep them clean significantly better than big businesses can," said Shannon Harris, of Dolyestown.
On Saturday, Bucks County commissioners and county officials asked Wolf for a clear direction on a date for reopening before the June 2 primary election.
"How close are we? If everything goes the way it has been and things continue to improve, we hope to get some kind of indication of how far away we might be to get permission to go to yellow," said Commissioner Bob Harvie.
On Monday, Wolf blasted local elected officials who plan to reopen in defiance of his shutdown orders, threatening to yank coronavirus aid and declaring they are "choosing to desert in the face of the enemy."
The current stay-at-home order, which includes Bucks County and several others, was extended to June 4.
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