Covid-19: Protesters violate social distancing, oppose lockdown extension in Michigan
Hundreds of angry protesters among whom were militias carrying firearms have gathered in Lansing, the Michgan’s state capitol to protest against Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s request for an extension of the state of emergency lockdown to combat coronavirus.
The protest, which was held on Thursday 30th April 2020, was the largest in the state since April 15 ‘operation Gridlock”.
The protest came following refusal of the governor’s request by the state legislators, mostly republicans who voted a lawsuit that challenge the governor’s authority to combat the virus.
Many of the protesters including those who are carrying firearms and those carrying pro-Trump signs violated the social distancing order as most of them gathered closely together within six feet of each other.
Many of the protesters entered the Capitol and demanded to be let into the Capitol when legislative deliberations were ongoing as the crowd shouted “let us in”.
Michigan’s lockdown is the strictest in the United States and is expected to end in May 15. Many of the protesters have criticized the lockdown saying that it has crippled the economy of the state.
“Governor Whitmer, and our state legislature, it’s over with. Open this state. Let’s get businesses back open again. Let’s make sure there are jobs to go back to,” Mike Detmer, a Republican candidate for US Congress said while addressing the crowd.
Other speakers at the “American Patriot Rally,” said that Whitmer’s stay-at-home order was a violation of human rights, and asked people to open their businesses on May 1 which is in disregard of Whitmer’s order.
