Protests held in Philadelphia as Wolf extends stay-at-home order

Philadelphia residents grow restless to move to yellow phase

FOX 29's Jeff Cole reports.

PHILADELPHIA - Protesters demonstrated outside city hall Friday in Philadelphia less than 24-hours after Gov. Tom Wolf extended the region's stay-at-home order until Jun. 4.

Organizers on Facebook say protesters represented small business owners and the working class. The event encourages demonstrators to maintain state mandate social distance guidelines while protesting.

"Governor Wolf has told us May 8th was the date to begin safely reopening. As it turns out, May 8 has become the date for the rest of Pennsylvania while Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs are left with the uncertainty of staying "in the red" indefinitely while our people and businesses continue to suffer with no end in sight," the Facebook page reads.

The group argues that while small businesses remain shuttered, big box retailers like Walmart, Target and Home Depot are deemed essential businesses.

"Let's fill Broad Street and Market Street, from all sides, circling City Hall, and let Mayor Kenny, whose administration still collects their full paychecks while they raise our taxes, know that we won't be left behind and won't comply to his disastrous budget plan," the page reads.

A spokesperson for Mayor Jim Kenney wrote Friday, "We're confident that a regional plan tailored to our population density and other factors is appropriate, and we look forward to announcing that in the near future."

In late April, protesters gathered by the thousands in Harrisburg to protest the state's decision to keep businesses closed.

First 24 Pennsylvania counties poised to emerge from lockdown with partial reopening

Gov. Tom Wolf extends stay-at-home order for red phase counties until June 4

___

For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.

DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP