Small businesses hold protest in downtown Buffalo

Small businesses hold protest in downtown Buffalo.

DEMONSTRATINGOUTSIDE BUFFALOCITY HALL.MANY OF THEM...SMALL BUSINESSOWNERS... WHO AREWAITING FOR THEIRTURN TO START BACKUP.

HERE'S THELATEST:WE ARE THREE DAYSIN TO PHASE ONE OFTHE STATE'SREOPENING PLAN...PHASE TWO COULDBEGIN... IN ELEVENDAYS..THAT'S WHEN WECOULD SEE "HAIRSALONS" AND SOME"PROFESSIONALSERVICES" OPEN UP.MORE RETAIL SHOPSCAN ALSO REOPEN--7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER HANNAHBUEHLER -- WAS ATTODAY'S RALLY INDOWNTOWN BUFFALO.STANDUP OPEN:THIS SIGN REALLYSAYS WHAT THISPROTEST IS ABOUTIT SAYS ENOUGH ISENOUGH TIME TOOPEN BACK UP ANDTHAT IS WHAT ABOUT200 PEOPLE WERECHANTING IN NIAGARASQUARE THURSDAYNATS: FREE NEW YORKSOT: THE MONEY THEPOLITICS NOTHING OFTHAT MATTERS TO ME IWANT TO OPEN MYBUSINESS THAT I BUILTZACH ARMSTRONG ISONE OF THEORGANIZERS OF THEPROTESTHE OWNS A SMALLBARBER SHOP INWESTSENECA...WHICHREMAINSTEMPORARILY CLOSEDHE FEELS SMALLBUSINESSES AREN'TGETTING A CHOICESOT: IF YOU THINK MEOR ANY OTHER SMALLBUSINESS WANTS TOSEE PEOPLE DIE THATIS DESPICABLE THAT ISNOT WHAT WE WANTTO SEE BUT WE DOWANT TO HAVE ACHOICE ON WHETHERWE CAN OPEN OURBUSINESSESHE SAYS HE'S GONETO GREAT LENGTHSTO KEEP HIS SHOPCLEANAND AS A BARBER HASTAKEN INFECTIOUSDISEASE COURSESMANDATED BY THESTATE.HE SAYS HE KNOWSHOW TO BE ARESPONSIBLEBUSINESS OWNERAND FEELS OPENINGSHOULD BE UP TO HIMSOT: IT WAS MYCHOICE TO OPEN THATBUSINESS IT'S YOURCHOICE TO COME INTOTHAT BUSINESSIT'S OUR CHOICESOT: I'MHEARTBROKEN FORTHIS COMMUNITYLAURIE KOSTRZEWSKIBELIEVES PEOPLEHAVE NOT BEEN GIVENENOUGH POWERTHROUGHOUT THISVIRUSSOT: WHAT THEY'REDOING IS TAKING AWAYOUR PURSUIT OFHAPPINESSAND TO SOME SHESAYS THE PURSUIT OFHAPPINESS IS SMALLBUSINESSSOT: THIS ISN'T CHINATHIS IS A FREECOUNTRAND WE ARE NOT THETYPE OF CITIZENRYTHAT JUST LAYS DOWNAND WE HAVE LAIDDOWN OUR RIGHTSAND THECONSTITUTION WASPULLED OUT FROMUNDER US LIKE A RUGSOT: IT'S KINDOF LIKEA ONE THING LEADSTO ANOTHERUNEMPLOYEDNOMONEYTHENPEOPLE COMMITSUICIDESTANDUP CLOSE:BUFFALO POLICEWERE ON THEGROUND ANDOVERLOOKINGUP TOP IN BUILDINGSTHERE WERE NOARRESTS AND NOINCIDENTS TO REPORTIN BUFFALO HB 7E