Sangamon Sun

Protesters have been gathering at the Illinois Capitol on Sunday afternoons to demand an end to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay at home order.

Vehicles and individuals blocking the roadway were removed by Springfield and State Capitol police departments. The protesters blocked the intersection in front of the capitol, forcing officers to close Second Street.

Protesters shouted, “Open Illinois!” WICS/WRSP reported. They were participating in “Operation Gridlock,” which has inspired protests at other state capitols. Some protesters accused police officers of engaging in excessive tactics against a peaceful protest.

"People need to be infected. I know that sounds terrible, but people get the flu every year and we don't have this massive shutdown, and the flu is more deadly than this COVID-19," Springfield resident Teresa link told WICS/WRSP.

Springfield resident John Keating was there as a counter protester.

"I think that the folks out here are – hence why I have proper protective gear – are going to be the reason that the virus gets worse than it is and overwhelms our hospitals," Keating told WICS/WSRP. 

Protest organizer Ashley McLemore said they are responsible Americans who will social distance themselves. The owner of a small music school in Dixon, she said all businesses in the state should get to open.

“We don't need somebody to tell us to do every little baby step," McLemore told WICS/WRSP. "My business can't last two more weeks. My business will close in the next week or two probably."

A week after attending the protest, she was forced to close her business. 

“The day that we closed, we had 10 instructors and 85 students and about 90 percent of those students were coming for music therapy,” McLemore told The Center Square on April 26. “And, yeah, we’re done. We’re officially closed.”

Anna Herschberger, owner of Yoder’s Kitchen in Douglas County, said though her restaurant was doing carryout, business was down by 85%.

“I have 110 employees and I can only employ six at a time, so that’s really difficult,” she told The Center Square.

Her business qualified for the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, but she said her employees would rather get back to work.