A Southern Pines woman, Emily Rainey, recorded herself removing caution tape from the downtown park playground and posted it to Facebook. Rainey is charged with injury to personal property. Southern Pines police say she's done this before, too.
COUNCIL HAS IF YOU ISSUED CALLS ACTION. A PUBLIC HEARING IS SET FOR JUNE 1. >>> A FAMILIAR SITE FOR FAMILIES, CAUTION TAPE WRAPPED AROUND PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT TO SHOW IT IS OFF-LIMITS AND CLOSE BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS. AS SOUTHERN PINES MOTHER PULLED THE TAPE DOWN FOR HER CHILD TO PLAY AND IS NOW FACING CHARGES FOR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY SHE SPOKE TO WRAL ADAM OWENS ABOUT THE SITUATION AND WHAT SHE PLANS TO DO NEXT. WE ARE AT THE DOWNTOWN SOUTHERN PINES PARK. >>REPORTER: EMILY RAINEY POSTED THIS VIDEO TO FACEBOOK IN THE 30 OLD MOTHER SAYS IT WAS TAKEN AT THE DOWNTOWN PARKING SOUTHERN PINES.>> AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A BUNCH OF CAUTION TAPE UP. >> IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS THE GOVERNOR ORDER PLAYGROUNDS CLOSED.>> ALL OF YOU FREEDOM FIGHTERS, THIS IS FOR YOU.>> GOT HER CHARGED WITH A CRIME. SHE WASN'T CHARGED WITH BREAKING THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER BUT INJURY TO PERSONAL PROPERTY. DAMAGE TO THE TAPE ALSO GOT HER BANNED FROM ALL SOUTHERN PINES PARKS FOR ONE YEAR.>> IT SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT IS SCANDALOUS OR PROHIBITED. THIS IS AFTER ALL STILL A FREE COUNTRY.>> RAINEY AN OFFICER IN THE ARMY IS A COADMINISTERED OF A FACEBOOK GROUP CALLED MOORE COUNTY CITIZENS FOR FREEDOM I'M A CHAPTER OF THE REOPENNC MOVEMENT . >> I BELIEVE WE ARE ADULTS AND PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE DECISIONS AND I BELIEVE IN PROTECTING VULNERABLE PEOPLE BUT HEALTHY PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO GATHER AND TO PLAY WITH THEIR CHILDREN AT THE PARK.>> WHILE POLICE SAY SHE WAS CHARGED WITH THAT INCIDENT SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THEY SAY IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE TORE DOWN CAUTION TAPE AT THIS PLAYGROUND.>> SHE WENT TWO SEPARATE TIMES WHERE THERE WAS A COMPLAINT FILED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR>> POLICE SAY SHE DID THE SAME THING BACK IN APRIL THEY SIMPLY TALKED IT OVER WITH HER. PAYMENT WE WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO MAKE SURE THERE IS CLIENT THE FIRST STEP SEE VOLUNTARY ALLIANCE.>> THE CDC JUST SAID COVID DOESN'T SPREAD ON SURFACES THE WAY THEY ORIGINALLY THOUGHT AND SO WE ARE GOING TO PLAY AND WE WOULD LOVE IT IF SOME OF YOU GUYS WOULD JOIN US.>> THAT WAS ADAM OWENS REPORTING AND SHE PLANS
