SPOKANE, Wash. — Protesters gathers on Wednesday afternoon two different times outside Spokane City Hall and in Franklin Park to voice their displeasure with Governor Jay Inslee's stay-home order and its inclusion of recreational fishing.
Among the protesters were Spokane Valley Rep. Matt Shea and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Eyman.
Protests against stay-home order at city hall, Franklin Park
Republican governor candidate Tim Eyman was among protesters gathered at Spokane's Franklin Park to protest the state's stay-home order's inclusion of fishing.
Eyman was also present at a protest earlier in the day at Spokane City Hall, along with Spokane Valley Rep. Matt Shea.
Signs held by protesters called for the re-opening of fishing, including one reading, "Let us fish." Some people driving by could be heard honking their vehicle's horn.
According to KREM's Shayna Waltower, who was at the City Hall protest, people held signs with messages, including. "We are essential, and we deserve to work.”
Other messages included, "Every job is essential for people to survive," "let people live and work," "re-open WA."
People also drove around the block honking their vehicle's horn and using air horns.
Shea and Eyman were among the speakers at the event, speaking about all workers being essential and the state reopening.
"We’re open for business and our strength is when we get back together, unified as the president has told us to do, when we open up America, and we are strong again," Shea told KREM.
This comes after thousands of protesters gathered at the state Capitol on Sunday afternoon to rally against the stay-at-home order.
"Show your support of small businesses and families who have been impacted by this! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" the event description reads.
Another protest, titled "Let us Fish!," is planned for 3-7 p.m. at Franklin Park.
"This protest is the first of multiple protests being organized to gain back what was swiftly and abruptly pulled out from underneath our feet; FISHING," the event description reads. "Bring your signs and fishing poles. Better yet, attach the signs to the fishing poles if you want!"
Recreational fishing and shellfishing were closed statewide in late March.
The stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 680 people and infected tens of thousands of others in Washington state, is set to expire on May 4.
Inslee said on Tuesday night that the state will not be able to lift most of the restrictions by May 4, but didn’t name a date to which the order would be extended. He added that the economy will reopen gradually, and not all at once.
"What’s more dangerous than COVID-19? One person deciding who’s essential and who’s not," Eyman wrote on his website.
"One person calling regular citizens 'insubordinate' when they exercise their constitutional right to speak. Jay, the people are not subordinate to you," he added.
