Judge Refuses Michigan’s Request to Shut Down Karl Manke, America’s National Anti-Lockdown Hero

Judge ruled the threat Manke's barbershop allegedly poses "must be actual and not theoretical"

“He remains publicly defiant,” he said. “Others are following in his wake.”

A Michigan judge denied the state of Michigan’s request to shut down an Owosso barbershop whose owner has openly defied the governor’s stay-home orders and continued to cut hair.

During a hearing Thursday, Shiawassee County Circuit Judge Matthew Stewart refused to issue a preliminary injunction against Karl Manke.

Stewart said the threat the state alleges that Manke poses to public health and safety “must be actual and not theoretical.”

The judge also asked state assistant attorney general Joseph Potchen why Manke was not arrested if he was a public health or safety risk.

“We’re not looking to arrest him or throw him in jail … just close his business until it is safe,” said Potchen.

Manke, 77, has become a local and national symbol of resistance in Michigan to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders closing most businesses and other public places to slow the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 5,300 people in the state.

Manke has been ticketed but not arrested for operating despite the state restrictions.

Potchen told Stewart that Manke, who has operated his barbershop for 60 years, poses a public health and safety.

“This is not a clean business,” said Potchen. “There is close physical contact. You see the pictures of clients not wearing masks or the waiting room where safe distancing is not being practiced.”

The state attorney said COVID-19 is a “very real,” contagious and dangerous virus for which there is no vaccine or treatment. He said there have been more than 200 cases and 18 deaths from the novel strain of the coronavirus reported in Shiawasee County.

Potchen said Manke has been cutting hair 12 hours a day for people all across the state during the stay-at-home orders.

“He remains publicly defiant,” he said. “Others are following in his wake.”

Manke’s attorney David Kallman said his client’s defiance is a stand for First Amendment rights.

“He’s protesting the government lockdown,” Kallman said. “This is symbolic speech. This is happening because they’re trying to silence him.”

Kallman argued said the shop poses no “imminent ” danger or threat to public health or safety and questioned why some large, corporate-owned businesses are being allowed to operate.

“Why is General Motors open? Why is Walmart open? Why is Taco Bell open?” argued Kallman.

Attorney General Dana Nessel had appealed a ruling last week from Stewart when the judge denied a request to immediately close the shop through a temporary restraining order.

Separately, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs summarily suspended Manke’s hair-cutting license last week because of his continued operation. Manke, 77, stopped cutting hair for a few days, but was back at it Tuesday even with his license suspended.

“Who cares?” he said. “What are they going to give me? Life?

Source: The Detroit News

7 Comments
  1. cechas vodobenikov says

    shocking that the FBI hasn’t assassinated this Moaist revolutionary fro crimes against the state

  2. James Willy says

    Think I might go there for a haircut. Even if a few hundred miles away would be awesome to have Karl do it up. I could feel like Mister Kim with a nice hairdo from Karl. Bravo Sir. Keep the middle finger High in the sky for them. You have lots a support. You are doing the right thing about this situation. THANK YOU. Get that useless mask off. it does absolutely nothing for this so called *virus*

  3. Kid Chaos says

    “Anti-lockdown moron” is more like it. Hope you like getting Coronavirus, Karl. That’ll show ’em! 😷

    1. voza0db says

      Karl already got the FLU…

    2. glib1 says

      It is easy for you paid trolls in Haifa to say this. You have the best job security in the world.

      1. James Willy says

        Another ziotroll to block. Never saw this handle before. Block list is getting long from these useless trolls like this one. Plonk. for kid.

  4. voza0db says

    I love OLD SLAVES… They don’t give a crap about young dumb slaves!

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