BORING, ORE. (AP) — A growing number of restaurants nationwide are opening for indoor dining in defiance of strict COVID-19 regulations in their states, saying they are targeted unfairly and are barely hanging on.
In Oregon, a movement to defy an indoor-dining ban began quietly on Jan. 1 and is gaining steam despite warnings from state inspectors and surging COVID-19 case numbers.
Democratic Gov. Kate Brown has also threatened restaurants with the revocation of liquor and slot machine licenses in a standoff that's increasingly attracting the attention of far-right groups such as the People's Rights network.
Similar revolts have also played out in places with strict COVID-19 rules, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington and California.