Troy Thompson, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, said the Capitol complex is closed and public gatherings are not permitted. Still, the department is aware of the “unauthorized” plans for a rally and is preparing.
“We strongly discourage anyone from attending any public gathering at this time,” Thompson said in an email Friday. “Protesters who gather on Monday will be placing themselves and others at significant risk of COVID-19 infection.”
Dorr’s Facebook group is one of several organizations behind the rally. Others include ReOpen PA and End The Lockdown PA. Joel Underwood, a spokesperson for the groups, said attendees are encouraged to practice social distancing and “make their own choice as to whether to remain in their vehicle or not.”
According to Underwood, 1,400 people have said they’ll attend, and two elected officials, State Reps. Aaron Bernstine (R., Lawrence) and Russ Diamond (R., Lebanon), will be speaking.
Bernstine said he’ll focus on reopening the state’s economy in a safe way and advocate for a measure passed in the state Senate last week, which would allow a significant number of businesses across the state to reopen following federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency guidelines.
“We’re looking at this as how to make a surgical decision with a scalpel and not a hatchet,” he said. “There are businesses that can open safely.”
Gov. Tom Wolf has said he will veto the bill.
On Friday, Wolf acknowledged the democratic right to protest, but strongly advised against it.
“I know every Pennsylvanian is eager to get back to work — I am included in that,” he said. “We are working as hard as we can to make sure we reopen as quickly as possible. What we don’t want to do is reopen and then be hit by this virus in a way that overwhelms our health-care system. Let’s continue to make this good progress and keep people safe, and when the time is right, we will reopen and liberate every single Pennsylvanian.”
Several other gatherings were announced by members of the Pennsylvanians Against Excessive Quarantine Facebook group over the last several days, though most moved the dates to Monday to combine forces. Annamarie Scannapieco, 55, of Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, helped plan a “back-to-work” rally in Harrisburg that’s been rescheduled for Monday. She’s running for a state representative seat in the 147th District. She’s also an ER nurse and is hoping people stay in their cars and wear masks.
“Our goal is for a peaceful, responsible, safe rally. Our thought is that people will stay in their cars and practice social distancing,” Scannapieco said. “We’re rallying behind the people who are suffering, who are scared or terrified and don’t want to lose their homes. We’re all in this together.”
The goal, she said, is to get elected officials talking about lifting restrictions in a safe way.
“Nobody is talking about a plan to reopen,” she said.
President Donald Trump, while saying publicly that governors could decide to reopen their states, also sent out tweets Friday calling on his followers to “liberate” several states. Rallies have been popping up all over the country in recent days, including one Friday in Trenton, where attendees beeped horns and shouted “Open New Jersey now!” On Wednesday in Michigan, protesters carried AR-15 rifles.
The Facebook group has become a sounding board for a slew of grievances, including vaccines, conspiracies about Microsoft founder Bill Gates, perceived assaults on the Constitution, and 2020 election theories. Many believe the extended stay-at-home measures are an attempt to foil Trump’s reelection bid.
Many in the group are thankful, still, that Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election.
For others, the conversation has come full circle: They’re talking about the flu again.