Armed protesters on Saturday lugged around an "inert" AT4 rocket launcher, an M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun, and an assortment of different weapons on the first full day of North Carolina's Phase 1 in downtown Raleigh Saturday afternoon.
The protesters, which looked like a group of mercenaries from the movie The Expendables, were spotted marching on the streets and eating in a Subway restaurant, according to The News & Observer's Travis Long, who snapped several pictures of the group.
Long tweeted: "A group of about 11 mostly-armed demonstrators protesting the stay at home order marched around downtown Raleigh and ordered sandwiches at a Subway."
Man ordering Subway sandwich with "inert AT4 rocket launcher" strapped to his back
A woman stands in line waiting for a sandwich while wielding a DP-12 bullpup 12-gauge pump action double-barreled shotgun
Another guy walks out of Subway with what appears to be a Browning .50 caliber machine gun
The protesters were part of a rally organized by a group called Blue Igloo, which said the rally is an "opportunity for First and Second Amendment supporters to get together, meet people with commonalities, and get some exercise while we're all wasting away at home."
A Facebook Live video showed the group marching throughout downtown and eventually stopping at the Subway halfway through the broadcast.
North Carolina is an open-carry state but is among at least six states that prohibits people from bringing firearms to rallies, according to McClatchy News. No arrests were reported.
"The walk on Saturday wasn't a protest, it was a gathering to support our God-given freedoms as Americans," the group said in an email to NBC News."We headed out for a walk to get some fresh air, sunshine, and some much needed exercise. We are a peaceful group, and wish to keep it that way at all costs."
However, there was a minor confrontation when the group crossed paths with an African-American family:
The state entered Phase 1 of the reopening on Friday evening. Gov. Roy Cooper has implemented a three-phase plan to reopen the state. We noted Tuesday that mainstream media continues to bash President Trump for his rushed reopening of states, a move to save the crashed economy with hopes of generating a V-shaped recovery.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is expected to tell the Senate HELP (that's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee Tuesday that reopening the country prematurely will create more "needless suffering and death."
