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On Wednesday, May 20, an “Operation Haircut” protest took place at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to allow hair salons and barbershops to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.
A number of stylists set up shop on the steps of the capitol and were defiantly given free haircuts, ignoring the Democrats’ stay-at-home orders, with one video from the day making the rounds online.
“This is funny as hell! Police officers read hair stylist her rights as she shaves a man’s head. This is in Whitmer’s Michigan,” read one tweet sharing the video.
This is funny as hell!
Police officers read hair stylist her rights as she shaves a man’s head.
This is in Whitmer’s Michigan. pic.twitter.com/CHGKrD8maN
— Susan St. James (@SusanStJames3) May 24, 2020
Turns out, the video was taken by Lansing State Journal photojournalist Nick King, who identified the stylist as Brenda Root, of Swartz Creek, and she was being issued a verbal warning, not having her rights read to her.
According to the Detroit Free Press, about a dozen barbers and hair stylists took part in the protest, and seven were issued citations for disorderly conduct for engaging in an illegal occupation or business after being warned by state police.
First citation at Operation Haircut on the Capitol lawn in Lansing was given to Angela Rigas of Alto, just after 12 p.m. pic.twitter.com/obsnCzn8vO
— Mike Mulholland (@mulho2mj) May 20, 2020
The newspaper said the cases were referred to the state attorney general — who is a Trump-hating Democrat who threatened to “take action” against Ford if the company let the president tour a plant without wearing a mask.
The penalty for the citations is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both, the Free Press reported.
Operation Haircut is underway at the Capitol. @LSJNews pic.twitter.com/jSQh3XkdtQ
— Nick King (@nickkingphoto) May 20, 2020
As for opening hair salons and barber shops, Whitmer is in no hurry, saying at a press conference Tuesday it was unlikely to happen any time soon.
“I would love to go to get my hair done, too. But the fact of the matter is, the nature of that personal service is such that it is intimate, it is close, you can’t social distance and get your hair cut,” Whitmer told WWMT. “That’s why it is important that we have all the protocols in place.”
The Democrat has been one of the most restrictive governors in America, dictating to stores what they can and cannot sell and even banning people from visiting family.
Still cutting here at the Michigan Capitol. @LSJNews pic.twitter.com/vG70wf5iND
— Nick King (@nickkingphoto) May 20, 2020
Operation Haircut was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition
“Michigan’s small business owners are patriotic and law abiding citizens, but enough is enough,” co-founder Marian Sheridan said in a press release. “Our Governor’s actions show every day that this is no longer about the China virus. Her actions show this is now about a progressive radical agenda. Dope shops are open, abortion mills churn on, but barber shops are, somehow, unsafe. Show us that ‘science’ Governor!”
The organization said 750 free hair cuts were given, and that eight stylists overall were ticketed $1000 each — a GoFundMe page was set up and had collected $12,340 toward a goal of $25,000.
Of all the online responses, the following is perhaps the most appropriate, given the history hair stylists have played in the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Who would have ever thought that a hair clipper would be the sound of FREEDOM?! ‘Merica!” the tweet read.
Who would have ever thought that a hair clipper would be the sound of FREEDOM?! 💇🏻♂️♥️🇺🇸
‘Merica! 💯♥️🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/yuBK0Jl4NA— ❤️🇺🇸Tracy❤️🇺🇸 ™ (@BullPup2A) May 21, 2020
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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