Jacksonville Attorneys File Lawsuit to Block Republican National Convention Over COVID-19 Concerns

A group of Jacksonville, Florida, attorneys filed a lawsuit in an effort to prevent the Republican National Convention from taking place next month.

The lawsuit, filed in Duval County on Wednesday, outlines several reasons why Jacksonville should not host the upcoming convention as Florida continues to see significant increases in coronavirus cases.

“To avoid community spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health and welfare of Plaintiffs and the community, it is necessary and essential that all super spreader events where large numbers of people congregate in close proximity indoors not occur,” the suit reads.

As the attorneys fight to block the convention, Florida continues to see record-breaking numbers for new coronavirus cases, infection rates, and hospitalizations. The state averaged more than 9,200 daily new cases, on a seven-day average, on Wednesday.

Highlighting Jacksonville’s demographic, the lawsuit notes that the city’s population is home to mostly Black Americans and older individuals whom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers high risk for infection.

The lawsuit also notes it expected there will be 12,000 to 15,000 people at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena for the convention. The attorneys recommend no more than 1,250 people and the other at least 12,500 seats to be “isolated or roped off.”

🏛️Republican National Committee Spokesperson Mike Reed told The Hill