Nearly two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Massachusetts State House remains closed to the public.
On the same day that Gov. Charlie Baker announced that mask mandates in the commonwealth’s K-12 schools would be lifted, the State House News Service (SHNS) reports that a small group of peaceful protesters made their way inside the Beacon Hill building demanding that the State House once again welcome visitors inside. “The group of nine was equipped with bullhorns and whistles, chanting against COVID-19 mandates put in place by Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and other elected politicians,” SHNS reported. “A heavy police presence responded to the small band of people while State Police cruisers crowded Bowdoin Street. Police locked the gates to Ashburton Park and prevented employees from entering the building while the situation was unfolding.”
The SHNS reported that inside protesters yelled: “Hey Baker, leave our kids alone,” “Ban the vaccine, save the kids,” and “Our kids are not lab rats.”
A State Trooper informed the protesters they would have to leave or be arrested, according to the SHNS report. “At that point, several people left while others continued to argue with police. The State House has been closed to the public for 701 days, but elected officials and some staffers have started to return to the building more regularly, according to SHNS. Democratic legislative leaders, including Senate President Karen Spilka, have signaled in recent weeks that the building could reopen in some capacity as soon as this month, but that any reopening plan must include safety precautions.
In a statement to The Times, state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, supported reopening the State House. “The State House should reopen to the public, long ago in my opinion. I’ve advised the Senate president of my perspective several times; she and I spoke about reopening last week, and she too is eager to reopen the People’s House. The decision to reopen the State House falls to the speaker, the senate president, and the governor. The senate is on board to do so.”
State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, said he’s not directly involved in and he hasn’t heard from any constituents about the issue. “I personally would like to see the building open but there are immuno-compromised employees along with legislators going through cancer treatments who have a right to a safe workplace and figuring out their protection needs to come first,” he told The Times. “Frankly, with how far we live from the State House, it is pretty rare for constituents to come to the building but the people who are always there, and who are most upset that it is closed are the lobbyists, and I don’t mind keeping them out.”
There is some benefit that’s come out of the building being closed. “One positive that has come out of the building closing is that all hearings are accessible online which has been huge for allowing greater participation for our district because people don’t have to schlep up to the State House to testify,” Fernandes said. “They can testify in their pajamas from their living room if they want.”
Baker, asked by reporters about whether the building should be open to the public, said he believed it should be, but said the decision ultimately rested with legislative leaders, who by law set the rules of the building.
“It’s their building, it’s their call,” Baker said.
Why not point out that it is one of the last state houses to reopen in the country. It’s a shame what has happened in Massachusetts with all the closings. The Democrat controlled state does not care about the people they care about their own jobs.