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Americans have engaged in mass protests after President Donald Trump urged supporters to ‘liberate’ states from strict governor coronavirus blockades.
Protesters demonstrated on the streets waving huge American flags and called for the country to reopen despite the pandemic plaguing the country.
Thousands ran to the Florida coast after Governor Ron DeSantis gave the municipalities the green light to reopen beaches and parks if they consider it safe.
It comes after Trump revealed his roadmap to gradually reopen the crippled economy, despite the United States being the country most affected by Covid-19.
The president also turned to Twitter with the kind of rhetoric that some of his followers have used to demand the lifting of the restrictions.
In a storm of three tweets, he posted: “FREE MINNESOTA!” FREE YOURSELF MICHIGAN! “RELEASE VIRGINIA”.
Thousands ran to the Florida coast (pictured, Jacksonville Beach) after Governor Ron DeSantis gave municipalities the green light to reopen beaches and parks if they consider it safe.
People are seen on the beach on Friday in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The beaches were reopened but only during restricted hours and can only be used for swimming, running, surfing, walking, biking, fishing, and pet care.
Despite the country being hit by the terrifying pandemic, Floridians were quick to return to the sand and sea in Jacksonville (photo-etched)
This aerial shot shows thousands lined up on Jacksonville beach after Trump announced a three-phase plan to lift the blockade.
Protesters demonstrated on the streets (pictured Huntington Beach, California) waving huge American flags and calling for the country to be reopened despite the pandemic plaguing the country.
The protesters ignored the social distancing orders and went to the highways to protest against the state-imposed closings.
Meanwhile, New York City (pictured, Washington Square Park) lies empty as New Yorkers are at the forefront of the battle against the virus.
Three vultures remain above the empty city of New York (pictured, the Hudson River) while the main occupants of the city remain indoors
In a strange storm of tweets, he consecutively posted: “FREE YOURSELF MINNESOTA!” FREE YOURSELF MICHIGAN! “RELEASE VIRGINIA”
He also lashed out at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for criticizing the federal response, saying he “should spend more time” doing “and less time” complaining. “
In response to the governors’ pleas for Washington’s help to increase testing for the virus, Trump returned the burden: “States must step up their TESTS!”
Trump has repeatedly said that he wants companies to reopen quickly and stated earlier this week that he has full authority over the matter.
This despite blockades and other social distancing measures imposed by state and local leaders, not Washington.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Friday that Trump’s comments about “freeing” parts of the country from stay-at-home orders for the coronavirus put millions of Americans at risk of contracting COVID-19.
The Democrat said in a statement that Trump is encouraging “illegal and dangerous acts,” adding: “His deranged ravings and calls for people to” liberate “states could also lead to violence. We have seen this before.
“The president encourages domestic rebellion and spreads lies, even as his own administration says the virus is real and deadly.”
Several hundred protesters defied social distancing guidelines and gathered on Friday outside the official residence of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in St. Paul, demanding an end to the state blockade against the coronavirus.
Several hundred protesters gather Friday outside of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s official residence in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday
Some of the protesters were cautious and stayed in their vehicles, while others gathered in defiance of social distancing orders.
Some of the protesters wore masks, while others did not, and very few practiced social distancing in St. Paul on Friday.
One of the protesters unfurled a large banner with the image of Trump superimposed on the American flag in St. Paul on Friday.
Several of the protesters stayed in their vehicles and drove outside the governor’s mansion in St. Paul on Friday.
A cardboard cutout of Donald Trump is propped up outside the Minnesota Governor’s official residence in St. Paul on Friday
One protester holds a sign saying “Be like Sweden,” while another called the coronavirus pandemic a “bogus crisis.”
Protesters are crowded in violation of social distancing regulations in St. Paul on Friday
A simulated skeleton is attached to the fence when protesters gathered outside Walz’s official residence on Friday
A protester wearing a mask has two signs saying ‘Stop the Shutdown’ and ‘The models are wrong’
Health officials and medical experts said reopening the economy too soon could lead to yet another increase in coronavirus cases.
Washington state saw the nation’s first confirmed case of coronavirus in January, as well as the first fatal group at a nursing home in the Seattle area.
More than 11,150 people in Washington state have tested positive for the virus and more than 580 have died. The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, and the vast majority recover.
But it is highly contagious and can be spread by those who appear healthy and can cause serious illness and death in some patients, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
In Huntington Beach, California, about 100 protesters defied state orders to stay home and gathered in the center to protest the continued closure.
The protest, which was organized through social media, included people with signs saying “Live free or die.”
Some of the protesters periodically erupted in chants of ‘America! UNITED STATES!’ While motorists driving nearby honked their horn in support, The Orange County Register reported.
“They have taken away our freedom, people are locked in their homes,” said Nicole Brown, a 50-year-old Costa Mesa resident.
Brown said that while he was sympathetic to those who became ill with COVID-19, he believed that quarantine should be optional and not mandatory by the state.
Some of the protesters waved placards in favor of Trump, while others wore a simulated white medical suit and held a sign saying the coronavirus was a “lie.”
In Frankfort, Kentucky, a caravan-style protest was held as drivers toured the state capitol denouncing stay-at-home orders for Governor Andy Beshear.
Other protesters hold signs saying “Free the humans” and “We want to work” in St. Paul on Friday
A sign affixed to the fence outside the Minnesota governor’s residence says ‘Treat us like free Americans’
Another protester holds up a sign saying “My husband was not in the military for 16 years for tyranny!”
A protester holds up a sign saying “You have no right to decide what is essential for us!”
Freedom over fear! Open MN Now ‘, says another sign affixed to the fence of the governor’s residence in St. Paul on Friday
Trump banners and an American flag with Trump’s image superimposed are waved in St. Paul on Friday
Other protesters demanded that the governor, a Democrat, “vacate now” and that “it was not essential”
A sign attached to the fence outside the governor’s residence compares Walz to Adolf Hitler
A family is seen upstairs with various signs in the back of a pickup truck in St. Paul. “God gave us an immune system for a reason” and “Our constitutional rights are essential,” read the signs.
The protesters, whose “drive through” protest was in line with state-imposed social distance orders, told WKYT-TV that the governor’s decision to close the trade was unconstitutional.
“When they started collecting license plate numbers, that was a step too far,” said Brett Beaderson, one of the protesters.
“And seeing what is happening in Michigan and other states, you need to put some pressure on freedom.”
Beaderson referred to Beshear’s order banning gatherings of more than 10 people on Easter Sunday.
Beshear said state officials would enforce the ban by collecting the registration numbers of local residents who attended religious services in violation of orders to stay home.
Dozens of people protesting the Oregon home order walked the Capitol on Friday, honking their horns, and a lawmaker asked the governor to ease restrictions on medical procedures for patients who do not have coronavirus.
The protest on Capitol Hill in Salem was one of several that took place across the country this week, as conservatives reject the virus-related restrictions designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
State Representative Cheri Helt, a moderate Republican from Bend, recognized Gov. Kate Brown for enforcing the stay-at-home order and social distancing.
But he said in a letter that it is time to “slowly and carefully begin to lift regulations that have essentially closed access to medical care and medical procedures in central Oregon for anything unrelated to COVID-19.”
Helt noted that the order has affected the health care industry and patients who must wait for the procedures.
A girl is seen upstairs cheering and waving small American flags as she watches from the roof of a truck in St. Paul on Friday
A man wearing a pro-Trump red hat attends a rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday
Jason Lewis, a Republican candidate for the US Senate seat. USA From Minnesota shakes hands with protesters from his RV
A man rolls his car down Summit Avenue in St. Paul on Friday during the ‘Liberate Minnesota’ protest outside Governor Walz’s official residence
A woman looks out of the window of her truck to take a selfie with other protesters during the ‘Liberate Minnesota’ protest in St. Paul on Friday
Crowds of protesters applaud as an American flag with the image of the president unfolds during the demonstration in São Paulo on Friday
A woman upstairs drives a scooter while wearing a helmet designed to look like the coronavirus on Friday
A supporter of the Democratic governor confronts protesters who oppose the coronavirus lockup in St. Paul on Friday
Another governor supporter holds up a sign that says ‘GR8 FULL 4 R Governor’ in St. Paul on Friday
Another protester inside a car shows a sign saying ‘Don’t cancel my golf season’ during the demonstration in St. Paul on Friday.
A St. Paul police officer leans against his vehicle during the rally in the state capital on Friday
A protester (right) holds a sign that says “If the ballots don’t free us, the bullets will!” during the demonstration in St. Paul on Friday
A protester (right) wears a jacket with the American flag stamped on the back during the demonstration in St. Paul on Friday
An estimated 400 people attended the rally outside the governor’s official residence in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday.
Some hospitals in Oregon have seen revenue declines of up to 60 percent in a month, said Becky Hultberg, CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems recently.
Meanwhile, the Oregon Health Authority reported six new COVID-19 deaths totaling 70 in the state on Friday.
State officials also reported 49 new cases, increasing to 1,785 the total number of people statewide who tested positive for the disease.
Organizers said the Salem rally aimed to regain their constitutional rights and get Oregonians back to work, KEZI-TV reported.
Brown issued an order for Oregon residents to stay home starting March 23 and banned nonessential gatherings and travel after crowds descended on the beach towns and state hiking trails over the weekend. previous.
Brown said earlier this week that he will not reopen the Oregon economy or reduce restrictions until he sees a decrease in the rate of active virus cases and public health data suggesting that a return to normality is safe.
Also on Friday, Brown signed an executive order to prevent creditors or debt collectors from garnishing payments on the federal coronavirus aid bill.
“Many Oregon residents, through no fault of their own, are struggling to pay their bills, rent, or even buy essentials like groceries and prescription drugs,” Brown said in a press release.
“These recovery controls were intended to provide relief, not to reward debt collection agencies for taking advantage of Oregonians who have lost their livelihoods due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Additionally, The Oregonian / OregonLive reported that the coronavirus has so far infected 10 people living or working in state-funded homes for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The disease has affected one person in 10 separate homes: one foster home for children, three foster homes for adults, and six group homes for adults, according to data provided by state officials to The Oregonian / OregonLive.
The houses are in southern Oregon, with one case in Jackson and Klamath counties, in the Willamette Valley, with four cases in Marion, Lane, and Linn counties, and in the Portland area, with four infected households. in Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties. .
On Thursday, the president detailed a set of three-step guidelines to ease the restrictions over a period of several weeks in places that have strong evidence and are seeing a decline in COVID-19 cases, assuring the nation’s governors: “You’re going to call your own shots.
Governors of both parties suggested on Friday that they would be cautious to return to normal, and some warned that they cannot do so without the help of Washington to expand the evidence.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who has criticized the government’s response to the crisis, acknowledged that people are “very anxious” about their livelihoods and concerned about paying rent when they are out of work.
“But the last thing I want to do is have a second wave here, so we have to be really smart,” he said.
A man dressed in colonial style clothing waves a flag in the air and blows a horn from the back of a truck
A man wearing a T-shirt with a gun rights message holds an American flag during the protest in São Paulo on Friday
Protesters outside the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Oregon drive Friday
Several protesters waved American flags and placards in favor of Trump during the Salem protest on Friday
Estos manifestantes son vistos afuera del Capitolio del Estado en Salem, Oregon, el viernes durante una manifestación.
La gobernadora Kate Brown, una demócrata, está bajo presión para levantar las restricciones destinadas a frenar la propagación del coronavirus.
Algunos manifestantes sostienen carteles que decían ‘Re-Open Florida’ y ‘Everyone’s Essential’ en Orlando el viernes
Las protestas en Orlando fueron condenadas por líderes locales que acusaron a la multitud de ponerse en peligro a sí mismos y a otros durante una pandemia.
Varios manifestantes agitan banderas y pancartas estadounidenses en apoyo del presidente Trump durante una manifestación en Orlando el viernes
Un camión que apoya a los manifestantes que exigen a las empresas de Florida y al gobierno reabrir bocinazos en una reunión en el centro de Orlando el viernes
Grupos de pequeños gobiernos, simpatizantes del presidente Donald Trump, defensores contra las vacunas, defensores de los derechos de las armas y partidarios de las causas de la derecha se han unido detrás de una profunda sospecha de los esfuerzos por cerrar la vida diaria para frenar la propagación del coronavirus. Los manifestantes se ven arriba en el centro de Orlando el viernes
El gobernador de Virginia Occidental, Jim Justice, un aliado republicano de Trump, respaldó el plan de la Casa Blanca, pero dejó en claro que escuchará a los expertos médicos para decidir cómo avanzar.
Dijo que se necesitan más pruebas antes de que cualquier restricción pueda revertirse.
“No voy a hacer algo que siento en mi corazón que es lo incorrecto que pondrá en peligro a nuestra gente”, dijo.
Otros estados dieron algunos de los primeros y pequeños pasos de la nación para aflojar las restricciones.
En Florida, el gobernador republicano Ron DeSantis dio luz verde a los municipios para reabrir playas y parques si pueden hacerlo de manera segura.
En Texas, el gobernador republicano Greg Abbott dijo que las tiendas pueden comenzar a vender en la acera, la cirugía no esencial puede reanudarse y los parques estatales pueden reabrir.
Cuomo, cuyo estado es el punto caliente más letal en la nación y todavía está viendo más de 600 muertes al día, acusó al gobierno de “pasar el dinero sin pasar los dólares”.
“El gobierno federal no puede limpiarse las manos y decir:” Oh, los estados son responsables de las pruebas “.
‘No podemos hacerlo. No podemos hacerlo sin ayuda federal “, dijo.
Incluso en estados en gran parte rurales con poblaciones pequeñas, como Wyoming, Maine y Dakota del Sur, los gobernadores dijeron que no estaban ansiosos por reanudar rápidamente los negocios como siempre.
One protester holds a sign which reads ‘Practice media distancing’ in Orlando on Friday
A woman wears an American flag-themed bandanna during a protest in Orlando, Florida, on Friday
A group of about 100 protesters gathered in downtown Huntington Beach, California, on Friday to protest the state’s stay-at-home orders
The protest was organized through social media and included people waving Trump banners on Friday
One of the protesters holds a sign which reads ‘Liberate Huntington Beach!’ on Friday
Several motorists who were driving by the protest honked in support while police officers were on the scene
A caravan-style protest was staged outside the state capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, on Friday
‘Until we’ve got the testing up to speed – which has got to be part of the federal government stepping in and helping – we’re just not going to be there,’ said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican.
Worldwide, the outbreak has infected nearly 2.2 million people and killed over 145,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally based on figures supplied by government health authorities around the globe, though it has becoming increasingly clear that the true numbers are much higher.
The official death toll in the US neared 34,000, with more than 670,000 confirmed infections.
The shutdowns have inflicted heavy damage on economies around the world. In the US, the crisis has cost at least 22 millions Americans their jobs, pushing the unemployment rate toward levels not seen since the Great Depression.
Many Americans, especially in rural areas and other parts of the country that have not seen major outbreaks, have urged governors to reopen their economies.
Protesters have taken to the streets in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Michigan, where more than 3,000 turned out on Wednesday in what looked like one of the president’s rallies, with MAGA hats and Trump flags.
Protests continued Friday, including one outside the home of Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and another in Idaho, where the governor is a Republican.
Grassroots Trump supporters organized the protest under the theme ‘Liberate Minnesota.’
Motorists circled the capitol and denounced the state’s Democratic governor, Andy Beshear. One anti-abortion protester drove by with a sign attached to their vehicle in Frankfort on Friday
‘Let us work,’ one sign displayed from inside a vehicle in Frankfort read on Friday
A Kentucky state trooper is seen above looking on at the motorcade protest outside the capitol in Frankfort on Friday
Another motorist who took part in the protest attached a sign to their vehicle which read ‘It’s about liberty’ in Frankfort on Friday
Another motorist demanded that the governor ‘open Kentucky back up!’ in Frankfort on Friday
It was one of several taking place across the country this week as conservatives push back against restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
At least 400 people gathered outside the mansion on Summit Avenue to demand relief. Many wore pro-Trump gear.
Very few practiced social distancing or wore masks. Dozens carried American flags or signs bearing messages such as ‘Reopen MN.’
Others drove past in vehicles bearing signs against the restrictions.
Republican US Senate candidate Jason Lewis, who has made reopening businesses a focus of his campaign to unseat Democratic Senator Tina Smith, expressed support for the protesters as he made several passes past the mansion in his campaign RV.
Trump tweeted ‘LIBERATE MINNESOTA!’ along with similar tweets for Michigan and Virginia, one day after he gave governors a road map for recovering from the economic pain of the public health crisis.
The guidelines make clear that a return to normalcy will take far longer than Trump initially envisioned, and let governors call the shots.
Walz didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the protest and tweets.
He recently extended the state’s stay-at-home order to May 4.
He has said the state needs to significantly expand its testing capacity before it can begin relaxing restrictions, despite increasing pressure from Republicans to move quickly.
The number of people infected with the coronavirus has climbed by 159 to 2,071, while 17 new fatalities have raised the state’s death toll to 111, the Minnesota Department of Health reported.
The governor announced strict stay-at-home measures and enforcement policies throughout the state due to the coronavirus pandemic
Another motorist holds up a sign which read ‘Let us work!’ while driving around the capitol in Frankfort on Friday
As of Friday, 223 patients were hospitalized – 10 more than Thursday – and 106 of them were in intensive care, an increase of three.
But 1,066 patients have recovered and no longer need isolation.
Trump’s tweet got a ‘thank you’ tweet from Lewis, as he kicked off a ‘Re-Open Minnesota for Business’ tour of the state Friday.
The former congressman and talk radio host says he wants the economy to reopen while protecting the vulnerable.He plans to visit small business owners at their shuttered locations across the state in the coming weeks.
Walz loosened some restrictions Friday by signing an executive order that allows residents to golf, boat, fish, hunt and hike as long as they follow new outdoor recreation guidelines: maintain six feet of social distancing; avoid crowded areas; and stay close to home.
Businesses that could reopen starting Saturday include golf courses, bait shops, marinas and outdoor shooting ranges.
Campgrounds, recreational equipment retail and rental stores, charter boats and guided fishing remain closed.
Public health experts have warned that an easing of the shutdowns must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to keep the virus from coming back with a vengeance.
The clash between Trump and Cuomo was personal, with the president complaining the governor hasn’t said thanks for the help he has received from Washington.
Cuomo countered by saying: ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, send a bouquet of flowers? “Thank you to the federal government for participating in a federal emergency”.’
Meanwhile, China, confirming long-held suspicions, acknowledged that the coronavirus death toll in the one-time epicenter city of Wuhan was nearly 50% higher than reported, amounting to more than 4,600.
In Italy, Spain, Britain, the United States and elsewhere, similar doubts emerged as governments revised their death tolls or openly questioned the accuracy of them.
Authorities said that almost everywhere, thousands have died with COVID-19 symptoms – many in nursing homes – without being tested for the virus, and have thus gone uncounted.
‘We are probably only seeing the tip of the iceberg,’ said Barcelona University epidemiologist Antoni Trilla, who heads the Spanish government’s expert panel on the crisis.
In Italy, for example, where the official toll has climbed past 22,000, a government survey released Friday of about one-third of the country’s nursing homes found more than 6,000 residents have died since February 1.
It was unclear how many were a result of COVID-19.
In Britain, with an official count of about 14,600 dead, the country´s statistics agency said the actual number could be around 15 per cent higher.
Others think it will be far more.
The official death toll in New York City soared by more than half earlier this week when health authorities began including people who probably had COVID-19 but died without being tested.
Nearly 3,800 deaths were added to the city´s count.
‘There is a general feeling that the epidemiologists don’t have a clue of what’s going on, that experts know even less and that governments are concealing information, but I don’t think that’s true,’ said Hermelinda Vanaclocha, an epidemiologist on Spain’s top virus advisory panel.
‘It’s simply not easy.’
Such figures can have a huge influence on governments’ actions, as medical staffs struggle to figure out how to cope with surges of sick people and officials make crucial decisions about where to devote resources and how to begin easing lockdowns to resuscitate their economies.
