SPOKANE, Wash. — A local group has placed crosses outside of Spokane City Hall in memory of the lives lost to coronavirus in the county.
Twenty-three people have died among 375 coronavirus cases in Spokane County as of Tuesday morning. More than 65,000 people have died nationwide.
Stronger Together Spokane, a group that works to oppose religious and political extremism, paid a visit to city hall on Monday to display the crosses.
"In memoriam of the COVID-19 deaths in Spokane County," a sign in front of the crosses reads.
Another nearby sign also offers a message to Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward: "Please keep ALL of our moms safe! Opening too soon is DEADLY!"
Woodward has been a vocal proponent of reopening Spokane County before Washington state if data about the coronavirus outbreak is supportive of the approach.
Spokane City Council Member Betsy Wilkerson spoke with members of Stronger Together Spokane on Monday. Tom Robinson, one member of the group, told her, “We want businesses to be open, but it has to be carefully thought out. There has to be a trade off.”
“Moving too fast is deadly,” said Kim, another member of the group.
"Please know that Council and the Mayor are not only working with the Governor on Quarantine restrictions, but we are also listening to all of our citizens as it is their lives we are preserving by observing the Governor’s 'Stay Home, Stay Healthy order," Wilkerson wrote. "One life is too many for us to lose to this virus."
