While the global fight against the novel coronavirus rages on, a new fight has begun between healthcare workers and local residents who are fed up with stay-at-home orders to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
This week, several demonstrations broke out in states across the country including Ohio, Minnesota, Washington, Kentucky, and Colorado, where people demanded their government agencies return things back to normal in the “land of the free” amid the pandemic.
At least two medical workers in scrubs and N95 masks were spotted blocking angry protestors who gathered in Denver on Sunday afternoon. Armed with signs and their respective vehicles, demonstrators flooded the streets and called for an end to strict, ongoing safer-at-home measures. Photojournalist Alyson McClaran was on the scene and captured images of the standoff, as seen (below):
McClaran described the sequence of events to the New York Times, noting:
“They were blocking the roads until the police force stepped in. People were putting their cars right up against them.”
Video of the incident shows a woman in an American flag T-shirt hanging out of her car window to yell at the healthcare workers, arguing the state-enforced measures are comparable to communism:
“Go to China if you want communism!”
Wow. What a tense standoff… and kudos to that healthcare worker for remaining unbothered despite the ridiculous statements being spewed amid all that car honking. It has to feel like major disrespect to those risking their lives to save others, especially those who are so ungrateful.
Sure, the economy, local businesses, and families are feeling the financial strain of keeping the country shut down for this extended period, but the risk of returning “back to normal” sooner than later could mean a serious uptick in cases reported and lives potentially lost. At the time of writing, the CDC has recorded 720,630 coronavirus cases reported in the US and experts warn that number could exponentially grow without safer-at-home guidelines in place.
As we mentioned earlier, Colorado wasn’t the only city to see demonstrations. More than 2,000 Washington state residents congregated at their Capitol building to protest the order, too. It was said only a few people wore masks and a group of that size definitely didn’t adhere to the social distancing guidelines to keep six feet apart from each other and avoid gathering groups of 10 or more.
It definitely doesn’t help that President Donald Trump appeared to support those gatherings. The POTUS came under fire last week for tweeting out messages about “liberation” in cities like Minnesota and Michigan, where protestors were said to have worn “Make America Great Again” apparel:
Trump also sympathized with the protesters and declined to denounce their actions during the White House Coronavirus Task Force news conference this weekend:
“As far as protesters, you know, I see protesters for all sorts of things. And I’m with everybody. I’m with everybody.”
He also denied he incited their movement with his tweets.
“They have got cabin fever. They want their life back. Their life was taken away from them.”
Lack of accountability and grossly downplaying a potentially life-threatening situation here… Sigh. Right on cue, Don! Reactions to all of this, Perezcious readers? We’re all going a little stir crazy right now, but think of the actual people working to end this virus — freedom of speech is one thing, but isn’t this just hurting the overall cause?
Sound OFF in the comments (below)…
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