LIHU‘E — Small business owner Sarah Schroeder has felt the attrition of the coronavirus.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Schroeder said she is unable to do her job as she travels and sells beauty products to online customers and physical markets in a business she owns called Sarah’s Scrubs and Sweets.
Schroeder was one of the estimated 25 protesters challenging the latest restrictions imposed by Gov. David Ige and Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami to prevent the spread of COVID-19. She was marching around the Historic County Building in Lihuʻe Saturday morning, believing the county and state have violated her constitutional rights.
“It is out of control, and it is such a government overreach,” Schroeder said. “If you don’t push back, then they’ll keep pushing you. The mayor is treating us like a bunch of 5-year-olds in timeout, and they won’t soften things up if we start complying.”
Levana Lomma, one of the event organizers of the protest that started as a Facebook group called Walk For Our Rights Kaua‘i, like Schroeder is suffering. She experienced the loss of her job as a hairstylist at Supercuts, and she is hoping the economy reopens soon.
“The measures being taken to protect us are completely against our constitutional rights, our basic human rights, and there is a reason to believe the data being used to determined the length of our quarantine is flawed,” Lomma said.
During Easter weekend, Lomma was walking on Kealia Beach with her daughter and was stopped by the authorities, she recalled.
“I was just at the beach enjoying the sunshine and getting some exercise, and the police officers told me, ‘you can’t be there unless you are exercising,’” Lomma said.
“I tried to talk to them about the police acting with a sense of mortality of what is right and what is wrong. It does not feel like the America or Hawai‘i that was built on a concept of freedom or aloha,” she said.
”It was not about having to do jumping jacks or leave the beach. I hate to make this reference, but it feels like Nazi Germany. We can’t travel without papers, or without being fined and enjoy our beach.’”
Many of the protesters were not wearing masks during their protest, which is mandated by Kaua‘i County to be worn by anyone over the age of 5 out in public.
One of the reasons for the restrictions in the size of the islands, health-care officials say.
“As a small island, we have been able to implement many measures to protect our community and to prevent the spread of the disease,” Dr. Janet Berreman said in a written statement.
“These include efforts such as the stay-at-home policy, evening curfew, mandatory cloth masks outside of the home, social distancing, and the quarantine for arriving travelers,” she said.
Berreman emphasized why it is so important to continue to follow the recommended guidelines. “It is essential that we all continue to practice the basic measures of wearing masks when we are out, minimizing our time in public and keeping a distance of 6 feet or more from others,” Berreman said.
“Wash hands frequently and avoid crowds or large gatherings. We can protect ourselves and our community by being attentive to these measures, every day and everywhere.”
Kaua‘i resident Amariah Raphael’s life has been significantly altered since the coronavirus outbreak started in the United States.
Raphael, who was laid off at his job as a massage therapist at Freedom Massage and Wellness in Kalaheo, claims he is now homeless because of the psychotic episode his roommate experienced from the “fear-mongering” of this virus.
Raphael fell into religion as an attempt to find a coping strategy for all of the changes he has experienced.
Raphael’s attempt to spread the word of God failed when he claimed he was chased off the beach by the Kaua‘i Police Department during Easter weekend at Kealia Beach.
The incident at the beach was Raphael’s catalyst to protest, believing the county violated his constitutional rights.
“We started with six people preaching the word of God. We were maintaining our distance and I was teaching them about psalm 91, but they broke up the meeting, presumably, because you can’t congregate,” Raphael said. “This is wrong, and it’s our constitutional right to freely assemble with no governor and no president to abridge the supreme constitutional law of the land.”
Raphael, formerly of Sedona, Arizona, was with about 25 residents to protest the recent restrictions the county and state implemented to protect people from COVID-19.
The group marched up and down Rice Street and walked around county offices, holding up various signs protesting federal, state and county restrictions.
According to World Health Organization statistics, recent numbers on Kaua‘i remain relatively low, with only 21 cases and no deaths.
“I am 110% on board, but we have to stand up now,” Raphael said. “The state can’t restrict our right to travel or assemble freely.”
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Jason Blasco, sports reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.
Those protestors aren’t maintaining county-mandated social distancing! I’m surprised they weren’t given a ride to the county’s Graybar Motel at 3-5351 Kuhio Highway.
I agree with Raphael and am glad to see someone speaking up. There is need for caution, but extreme measures imposed with the strictest enforcement is overreach, tyrannical and unconstitutional.
What a bunch of selfish crybabies!
Wow! good for Sarah to organize this..
get your lawyer lined out, then go out and get arrested 2-3 times for walking around, then sue the County and State in federal court….then retire…
Your idiots. If we don’t take this measures we die simple as that. The whole world is going through this and suffering not just Kauai. Move back to the mainland worms. All you guys do is move here then complain how we do things around here. If you had common sense you would know this is to protect our island from this disease which is unfamiliar and no one really knows the outcome but it’s better to air on the side of safety first. So shut your mouth and move back where you came from.
Absolutely correct in denying our Constitutional Rights as Citizens of the USA! Gov IGGY and Hair on Fire Kawakami out of Control. Elections will have Consequences! Take Heed!
Anarchy Brewing? Will Lawsuits be in the Future? Can Kauai afford This? SCOTUS Will Rule in We the People’s Favor!
So predictable that democRAT / Communist Ige jumps on the bandwagon of stripping citizens of their rights. I hope Hawaiians organize their TMT protesters to aggressively stand up for beach access. This is so far beyond what is necessary. IMPEACH IGE, LIBERATE HAWAII
Four active cases maybe on Kauai and the cops are busting sunbathers, give me a break.
I want to know if any of these people got arrested or cited for violating orders? Is money and your rights more important that another persons life? How stupid can all if you be? Did the government ever put restrictions on the people of the country before this pandemic? NO, never because it wasn’t necessary. Most people are out of jobs but what gives YOU, YOU 25 protesters the right to violate orders to put ME, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS and the rest of the island at risk because YOU 25 want to walk the beach etc. Do you think that all of us are happy with the restrictions? NO we are not but that does not give you the right to ignore MY rights and others that are trying to stay healthy and alive! Covidiots to the max!!! Stay home and shut up!
WELL DONE!! WELL DONE!! Thank you KAUAI AMERICANS for being the first to stand up for our rights!!! We applaud your courage! We are with you and will be joining the next walk! ALOHA!!
If by “Kauai Americans” you mean transplants.
Amen!!
If I had know you were protesting, I would have been there with you!
Here’s to the BILL OF RIGHTS
There are 4 active cases left on the island and it seems funny that these four have magicially not gotten any better after 2 weeks. Hummm, Our island is effectively cut off entirely from the world but yet we are still under the most Draconian rules in the nation for an infection rate of less than 1/100 of a percent. I wonder what is going to happen to all these people that lost not only there jobs but there health insurance also. No health insurance is way more deadly than this virus.
“Many of the protesters were not wearing masks during their protest, which is mandated by Kaua‘i County to be worn by anyone over the age of 5 out in public.”
A pointless and completely ineffective measure without the right mask or instructions on how to use it that was arbitrarily decided upon by a scientifically illiterate (or willfully ignorant) mayor.
No community spread before mitigation measures (violations of constitutional rights) were put in place. There is no justification for any of his rules to continue except to spread fear and distrust.
I have friends and family in New York where this monster has gotten loose. You will be in denial about just how dangerous and deadly this virus is until it starts claiming your family members. You want to open your businesses so you don’t go broke. That’s understandible, as long as you realize that you’re also opening your doors to a killer. And why were none of these protestors arrested for being unmasked in public?
Everyone is suffering. Most of us are willing to do our part to save our families, our friends, our island. Stop whining like a bunch of crybabies.
RIGHT ON!
Right on!! I am happy to see this. I was denied entry to buy groceries yesterday in Hilo because I can not wear a mask for personal reasons. They can not violate our constitutional rights.
These people need to stop being so selfish and stop thinking about me, me and me!
Think about others, for and change, and get out and HELP!
There are others losing their liberties…… they are dying! I think that is a bit more important than you not being able to do things you want to do.
“The state can’t restrict our right to travel or assemble freely.”
They’re doing just that and it’s a BLATANT violation of our constitutional rights. Sadly, too many people let fear block their ability to think clearly, so they just roll over and take the jackboot on their throats…does not bode well for America and Liberty.
RG DeSoto
You are the ones acting like 5 year olds. You are the ones jeopardizing my life and others.
Yes, kudos to you all standing up for your rights. It’s time to start living again. Kauai did it alright!
I believe the Constitution protects these people’s right to protest. However I do want to remind everyone of how few beds, ICU and vents we have on Kaua’i. I don’t like going to Oahu anyway and I sure would hate to go under these circumstances. Bottom line is the virus could come to you or your loved ones. Us marching in public like this worth it?
why make laws when you don’t make an effort to enforce those laws. every protester over 5 should have received a citation for no mask and no distance socializing.
Note to weird protestors: you guys should make signs next time that say “ignorance is bliss” but go ahead and misspell ignorance it will look cool
Thank you for providing names and faces of people whose businesses or places of work I will be avoiding from now on. Since they clearly do not care about the safety of the community they live/operate in, I do not care about their business.
Sad, perhaps one of them had Covid19 and then they may change their attitude, no doubt they would like tourists to be flying in from NY as well. Get real you don’t live in any Nazi state if you did you would certainly know about it. Stop thinking of yourself for once and think of all the other people on the island who do not want to be affected by this virus
These people apparently have no clue about how dangerous this disease is – and how easily it spreads. I get it – their lives have been disrupted but their right to assemble does not override my right to stay healthy. Everyone is suffering so may I suggest that they think about the larger community instead of just themselves?
Protest is good, but not if it’s purely self-serving, which this is. The health and welfare of the general public is the last thing on these demonstrator’s minds. They’re more concerned with profits and staying in business than the possibility of spreading a lethal virus that could kill a lot of people. Put your signs away, go home, and stay home like the rest of us. This craziness will pass. Don’t add to it with self-interest, greed, and fear mongering. Yes, you have rights, but those rights don’t include killing people. And put your masks on, please.
It’s disturbing to see and read about adults in our community who lack the patience and maturity to cooperate with mitigation efforts for just a few more weeks until our numbers get down low enough to safely reopen. We’re fortunate to live in a state and a county with leaders that are taking COVID-19 seriously, and as a result we’re doing much better than many other areas in the US, and better than the other islands.
For Ms Lomma to compare the reasonable health and safety restrictions we’re currently being asked to comply with- basically just staying home for a few weeks- to the Nazi death camps and Holocaust which murdered millions of people is absolutely disgusting. She owes all of us an apology.
Mr. Raphael is apparently “homeless” because he endangered his roommate’s health by violating the stay at home and social distancing orders. Now he’s approaching strangers uninvited in public areas, invading their personal space to engage them in conversation to attempt to convert them to his religion. This does NOT qualify as exercise or social distancing. Exercise means walking, running, jogging, biking, swimming or surfing, not hanging out and talking.
These people are putting their selfish desires above the health and safety of the community and indulging in a very narrow and shortsighted view and approach. The more completely we comply with these measures the sooner we can get back to normal. Taking risks that can spread the virus will only prolong the process. These folks need to grow up and go home and stay there. The virus isn’t going away any faster just because some people are getting impatient. It has a certain incubation period and lifespan and we just have to wait it out.
Our constitutional rights are not unlimited. States and county governments can place limits on those rights to meet a compelling interest. Governments routinely enforce quarantines to stop the spread of infectious diseases and that’s what’s happening now. We’re currently exercising our First Amendment rights online which is actually more effective than congregating in person. This option did not exist when the US Consititution was created. At the time there was no internet, telephones, television, radio or any way to effectively communicate without assembling in person. We now have other options. We can meet on ZOOM and petition the government online and millions of us are doing just that.
Thanks for posting where these people work and the businesses they own. I will make sure never to be one of their customers. And if we couldn’t already guess, misspellings on placards only confirms how stupid these people are.
Coronavirus strains are listed as “common cold” in the American Medical Association encyclopedia.Not in-flu-enza (flu),and not pneumonia. The microwave pulsation radiation and wifi are outlawed in some countries as well as GMO’s where numbers of concerned people have studied independent researchers and technicians,and together put a stop to the toxic bombardment.The various frequencies and pulsations have been studied for 70 years and the non thermal effects of what types have been chosen(by the few) to deploy on the many has cumulative and very harmful negative effects.Barrie Trower and Martin Pall are a couple of whistle blowers speaking out against the assault.The eyes to see,the ears to hear.and the heart to get a sense.People perish for lack of knowledge.Georgia guide-stone…500 million (preliminary culling goal).
Smart meters! 4G come to mind! With all the social engineering people are annoyed by how our government tells us what to do- amazes me how so many people trust our government! I certainly don’t! I say take your mask off and take a walk on the beach- all the sea minerals are so healing and good for our immune systems! Much healthier then keeping a stinky mask on your face that deprives you of oxegen! Just my opinion! Everyone’s got one!