- Protests against various
coronavirus stay-at-home orders have erupted across the country, in Virginia, Michigan, California, and Minnesota, with others planned in Maryland, Florida, Virginia, and more states. - Many of the demonstrations have been backed by wealthy conservatives, including the family of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Matt Maddock, a Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer denounced DeVos' connection to the group, calling it "highly inappropriate."
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Thousands of disgruntled Americans across the country have descended on state Capitols to
Demonstrators with signs calling for an end to the stay-at-home orders, with many donning MAGA hats and flying Trump flags, have gathered in large groups in defiance of
The demonstrations have largely been supported by wealthy conservative groups and prominent Republicans – including Donald Trump who called to "liberate" Americans in Virginia, Michigan, and Minnesota protesting the coronavirus lockdown measures.
Despite their calls, according to a poll from Pew Research Center, 66% of Americans are concerned that the government will lift coronavirus restrictions on public activity too quickly in the US, where the virus has infected over 706,000 and killed more than 37,000.
While Donald Trump has been pressing to lift US lockdown measures to re-open the stalled economy, public health officials, including Deborah Brix who sits on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, have warned that lifting social distancing guidelines too early could cause a "second wave" of coronavirus cases in the country.
However, demonstrators across the country have claimed that they would rather "live free or die" than remain under state-mandated
Protests were hosted and supported by wealthy conservative groups — including one with ties to Betsy DeVos
On April 15, residents from across Michigan trekked through rain and snow to cause traffic jams in the state Capitol to protest and defy Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order — a measure that was implemented to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Whitmer said she supported Michigan residents' right to protest so long as they did so in a manner that protected their fellow citizens. However, she drew the line at Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' involvement, Detroit Free Press reported.
"I think it's really inappropriate for a sitting member of the United States president's Cabinet to be waging political attacks on any governor, but obviously, on me here at home," Whitmer said Monday, referring to Betsy DeVos, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. "I think that they should disavow and encourage people to stay home and be safe."
According to the event Facebook page, the protest, called "Operation Gridlock," was hosted by the Michigan Freedom Fund — a conservative group that has received more than $500,000 from the DeVos family, who are regular right wing-donors and natives to west Michigan.
However, Nick Wasmiller, a spokesman for the DeVos family, noted that the family has not provided any funds directly to the protests or helped organize the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, the co-host of the demonstration, the Michigan Conservative Coalition, was founded by Matt Maddock, a Republican member of the state's house of representatives. According to the Guardian, the group also functions under the name Michigan Trump Republican which has held events featuring members of the Trump campaign.
Jenny Beth Martin, a founder of the Tea Party Patriots group that was associated with the Koch-backed Tea Party movement, supported the protests in Michigan on Twitter. The conservative group also tweeted its support for Operation Gridlock to its 200,000 followers, the Guardian reported.
The protests in Michigan inspired residents in California, Maryland, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and more to organize their own demonstrations to re-open their states.
Kristen Lynne Hall, a Virginia resident who has helped organize the "Re-Open Virginia" rally said she was inspired to organize by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights group that has donated tens of thousands of dollars to pro-gun politicians. The Virginia Citizens Defense League also shared tweets from Donald Trump calling to "liberate" Virginia and shared
Protests against stay-at-home orders were hailed by prominent conservatives and far-right extremist groups
Candace Owens, a prominent conservative activist, tweeted her support of the various protests who have called governors' stay at home orders "tyrannical."
"I don't know who needs to hear this but—my freedom doesn't end where your fear begins," Owens tweeted. "Keep the protests up, Patriots!"
—Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) April 16, 2020
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee condemned Trump's calls to liberate various US states and accused him of inciting a "domestic rebellion" after his calls were hailed by far-right extremist groups.
Far-right social media began to buzz with claims that Trump was signaling his support for the "boogaloo" — a term used by extremists for a planned armed insurrection, NBC reported. Some demonstrators even arrived at the rallies armed with rifles.
"The president is fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies - even while his own administration says the virus is real, it is deadly and we have a long way to go before restrictions can be lifted," Inslee wrote.
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