Michigan appeals court orders Owosso barber to close his shop
Karl Manke reopened his shop on May 4
Associated Press
Barber Karl Manke, of Owosso, gives a free haircut on the steps of the State Capitol during a rally in Lansing, Mich., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Barbers and hair stylists are protesting the state's stay-at-home orders, a defiant demonstration that reflects how salons have become a symbol for small businesses that are eager to reopen two months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
DETROIT (AP) – The Michigan appeals court has ordered a barber who has been defying the state’s coronavirus restrictions to close his shop.
Karl Manke reopened his shop in Owosso on May 4 in defiance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders for certain types of businesses to close to help slow the spread of the disease.
The 77-year-old Manke has become a symbol of resistance to the business closures. The appeals court ruled Thursday that Manke failed to rebut the state’s claim that barbershops and hair salons pose a risk to public health.