HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) On a sweltering day, roughly one thousand protesters converged on the Capitol steps at high noon hoping to turn up the heat on Governor Wolf and his various orders to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic.

Do we have any God-fearing, freedom-loving, flag-waving patriots in the house? asked the National Anthem singer before belting out the Star Spangled Banner to great applause.

Rally goers came armed with anti-Wolf signs, flags, and t-shirts. Many came armed with pistols on hips or rifles slung across chests. It was a peaceful gathering though.

We dont want to be a nanny state, said co-organizer Michael Daino. We want to be free Americans and walk as free Americans.

Although the entire state is now in the green phase, this Assembly for Freedom rally railed against Wolfs various shutdown orders.

We are seeing our freedoms getting eaten away by edicts, said attendee Joel Saint, a pastor from Lancaster County. Why do we have a constitution if a governor can just say, Hey, Im gonna shut down that business, and it gets shut down?

Several Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon), took to the podium to complain about Wolfs executive orders that largely sidestepped the legislature. He understands the frustrations exhibited on the Capitol steps.

We dont live in a dictatorship but unfortunately one of the hallmarks of our nation is justice and the scales of justice have been tipped against the citizens, Ryan said.

The mostly mask-less crowd couldnt conceal its disdain for Wolfs mandate on face coverings. One of the loudest cheers went to a man at the microphone who shouted, I havent worn a mask on my face a single time since the beginning of this.

The applause was raucous.

Several women wore t-shirts saying, Pennsylvanians for mask-less education.

Governor Wolf wants all our kids to wear masks in school, said Jamie Walker, a mother of three from Bucks County. Theres no way schools can open if kids have to wear masks because teachers cannot be mask police.

Mike Lingg traveled from Pittsburgh to attend the rally. He said he supports bar and restaurant owners who have recently seen new Wolf-mandated restrictions. He too, however, went without a mask in the throng.

I think we should have free will, Lingg said. If we want to wear a mask, we wear a mask. If we dont, I dont think we should be shamed because of it and theres a lot of that going on right now.

Theres also a lot of new science all of it shows mask-wearing reduces the spread of the virus and can help to drop infection rates. To the folks gathered on the steps of the Capitol though, personal freedom is more important than stopping Covid-19s freedom to roam.

There is a virus and unfortunately its killed some people, Daino said. Let it run its course. Theres like a 99% recovery rate.

Organizers called for 20,000 patriots to attend the rally but the actual turnout was estimated in the 1,000 to 1,500 range.

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