Washington Examiner – by Anthony Leonardi
The Raleigh Police Department in North Carolina is facing blowback after categorizing protesting as a “non-essential activity.”
The police department is facing scrutiny after arresting protesters in downtown Raleigh on Tuesday, asserting that such activity is in violation of the governor’s executive order limiting outdoor activities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“What part of the governor’s order was violated here?” one social media user asked.
“Protesting is a non-essential activity,” the police department responded.
According to local media, protesters called for the reopening of businesses, holding signs that said “Reopen NC,” “Freedom is not free,” and “#ReopenNC #Tyranny.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Raleigh Police Department but did not receive a response for publication.
Raleigh police just emailed this statement regarding today’s protest @WNCN pic.twitter.com/X0ioXYA1gj
— Michael Hyland (@MichaelWNCN) April 14, 2020
Protesting is a non-essential activity.
— Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) April 14, 2020
Shortly after, outrage was expressed on social media, with some accusing the police of deeming the First Amendment “non-essential.”