JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (CN) — Echoing cries from across the country, protesters gathered at the Missouri State Capitol on Tuesday demanding an end to Governor Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
The group Reopen Missouri, led by former Republican state legislator Josh Schisler, organized the event that drew several hundred people to the steps of the capitol building. According to a Facebook post about the event, protestors believe stay-at-home orders in response to the Covid-19 pandemic are “inhumane.”
Protesters at the event came for several reasons.
“We have .02 deaths in Missouri for every hundred thousand people in Missouri,” said Kristi Nichols, who organized a similar protest in Kansas City on Monday. “That doesn't warrant shutting down the city, shutting down the nation. Viruses are out there every day. This is nothing.”
She continued, “We didn't shut down the economy or the United States because of the flu. So why is this different? This is different because there's an agenda behind it. There's an agenda to destroy people's lives to put them in bondage to take away their livelihood, their rights and their freedoms.”
Nichols said the lockdown orders are similar to tactics she witnessed by China’s communist regime to take away people’s livelihoods while she worked with an underground church in that country for eight years.
“Our founding fathers gave their lives and their honor and shed their blood for us to have this freedom and liberty, and we are not going to let the government or any social agenda, or any World Health Organization with false data take that away,” Nichols said.
Brett Stevenson of Independence, Mo., said economic and religious concerns were the main reason he was there.
“Every day they go knocking out small businesses and people losing their jobs and so you know the slogan ‘the cure is going to be worse than the Covid-19,’” Stevenson said, “I think that's a true statement.”
Stevenson, the pastor of a Christian church of about 50 people, is also concerned with the religious freedom for the people he serves. His church has gone to an online video feed, as have most churches, but he said it falls short of fully practicing the Christian faith.
“There are things that you cannot do obviously, unless you're in person,” Stevenson said. “Like partaking of the sacrament, which is a very important part for us, and so it's not the same and people just feel like their rights are being trampled.”
Several hundred people gathered in front of the Missouri State Capitol while a steady stream of cars passed by in a circle, honking their horns and blaring songs with protest themes from groups such as Twister Sister, Toby Keith and Bruce Springsteen.
The crowd marched to the governor’s mansion, where they chanted “USA!” for several minutes. Protesters then marched away and gradually disbursed while dozens sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Schisler called the gathering a success and said he was told there were over a thousand attendees at the hour-long event once people in the cars were counted. He said he was surprised at the bipartisan support for the cause.
“This is not an issue of ‘I'm a Democrat or Republican,’” Schisler said. “We're all Missourians. We're all Americans. And we're sick and tired of the governor taking irresponsible actions that are putting the most vulnerable Missourians at risk.”
Though Schisler pointed to a diverse spectrum of political ideals among attendees, the abundance of Trump apparel worn and displayed during the event pointed to the political leanings for a large percentage of the protesters.
