Las Cruces protesters gather at City Hall, demand New Mexico ‘open up’
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - A group of about 30 protesters took to the sidewalk outside the Las Cruces City Hall on Friday to demand that the state reopen.
"The lockdown is more deadly and more lethal than the virus we're fighting," said Tim DeGroat. "People are hurting. They need to get back to work and get their lives back in order."
In mid-April, almost 80,000 New Mexicans were in the unemployment system, according to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
"I want to open up," said Joe Clayshulte. "They should have never closed in the first place. This whole deal has been overblown. We have businesses closing, social distancing, quarantine. The entire purpose of it was to not overload the hospital system. They're laying off healthcare workers."
Mayor Ken Miyagishima has urged Las Cruces residents to stay home and not go shop in El Paso, which is allowing some stores and restaurants to reopen Friday with restrictions imposed by the state of Texas.
"I know staying home is very difficult, but social distancing is working," said Mayor Miyagishima. "We're starting to see this here in Las Cruces and Doña Ana County."
As of Friday morning, there had only been one death in Doña Ana County, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. There were 144 active cases as of noon on Friday.
"Mass gatherings are dangerous and in violation of the public health order, wrote Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's press secretary. "We want any New Mexican who is upset about the state's efforts to limit illness and prevent mass death to find safe and non-dangerous ways to exercise their first amendment right to protest."
