Hundreds of people gathered at the Dealey Plaza in Dallas yesterday to call for all Texas businesses to reopening minus the restrictions.

Kevin Whitt, one of the "Set Texas Free," rally organizers said, the gathering lasted for about two on Saturday afternoon. He also added that what they, "as a people, saw is there are fewer people who die of COVID-19" those who are jobless.

Also, according to this organizer, they are losing the state's economy. So many people in Texas, he continued, have remained unemployed.

The rally came one day after establishments like barbershops and salons were allowed to reopen for the first time since the middle of March. 

Then, just more than one week after, retail stores and restaurant dining rooms were allowed to restart the business, as well, though with limited capacity.


Back in Operation

Companies returned to operation, according to the directives of the government, should follow safety rules. Relatively gyms are slated for reopening on May 18. 

Other businesses, though, such as massage therapy studios and tattoo parlors, still have to wait for the day they can start operating again.

Jill Glover, one of the organizers of "Set Texas Free," said, the message they want to convey to all those in the government is that they believe that people can take accountability and that they know how to be accountable for the protection of oneself, as well as others from the infection.

Glover added, now is the time to reopen the Texas economy. In addition, the co-organizer also said they gathered in honor of Shelley Luther. 

Luther is an owner of a salon in Dallas who gained public attention after she reopened her salon late last month even though during that time, there were orders from the state and county, not to do so.


Luther's Case

Luther was sent to prison after Eric Moye, the District Court Judge, found her in contempt of court for rejecting to close her business even after receiving a temporary restraining order from Dallas City. And after she declined to apologize for breaking the order to temporarily remain closed, she was sentenced to one week.

The salon owner was released on Thursday following the Texas Supreme Court's order. Luther said during the rally on Saturday that she doesn't feel like she is leading anything. 

Additionally, the salon owner also shared how she feels like her dad fighting in the wars, and all of the people she was with were war veterans from which she led the way. In this rally, Luther explained, they are trying to get back what they already fought for.

Meanwhile, NBC 5 tried to reach out to Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson's office regarding the "Set Texas Free" rally. The spokesperson, in response to the news agency's query, said they were not aware of that planned rally although they'd look into it.

Then, in an editorial column, Johnson wrote he avoided commenting on the details of Luther's case because the city attorney has pursued litigation.


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