Protesters once again returned Thursday afternoon to the private home of San Juan Basin Public Health Director Liane Jollon, according to the Durango Police Department.
Deputy Chief Brice Current said that around 2 p.m., about 15 people showed up outside Jollon’s home to object to state-issued public health orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.
The protesters, Current said, stood across the street from Jollon’s home on public property, in the same spot where the group has stood a couple of times over the past few weeks.
“They understood what the law is and we were there in case someone violated it,” he said.
For what appeared to be the first time, a group of about four counterprotesters also gathered across the street, Current said.
Through it all, no citations, arrests or general confrontations occurred, Current said.
“It was fine,” he said. “(The protesters) didn’t violate the law, and neither did the other side.”
According to state law, “targeted residential picketing” a specific home is against the law, unless the protest is 300 feet or more from the home.
Current said the protesters were outside the prohibited zone.
The counterprotesters were within the 300-foot zone, Current said, but they were not targeting Jollon’s home, so they were not breaking the law.
The counterprotesters were also not disrupting the original group’s assembly, either verbally or physical, and they were not acting disorderly.
“I warned the counterprotesters that if anyone comes out (neighbors) and complains about them, they could be looked at for disorderly conduct,” Current said. “But they were quiet and not causing a problem.”
Jollon, when contacted Thursday, said she had been working from the SJBPH’s offices that day and did not witness the protest.
Current said the group was gone by about 3:15 p.m.
Public health orders are issued by the state of Colorado, yet Jollon has become a target for some local residents who disagree with certain regulations aimed at slowing the virus’ spread.
“I don’t love the public health measures we’re all practicing right now to save lives,” Jollon said previously. “But this is what we need to do as a community to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
Currently, there are two new proposed state laws that would better conceal personal information of public health workers and would better regulate protests outside people’s homes.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
