Pro-Trump Protesters Demand End of Coronavirus Lockdowns (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Chanting “Open New Jersey now!” and defying social-distancing guidelines by congregating, a few hundred protesters gathered in Trenton, New Jersey, to demand Gov. Phil Murphy lift the near-lockdown orders he instituted to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
Tuesday's demonstration came the same day Murphy reported another 402 Garden State residents — a number likely larger than the crowd — have suffered deaths related to COVID-19. That makes 6,442 statewide fatalities attributed to the fast-moving virus in less than two months, the second-highest total among US states, New Jersey News reported.
The protest also came a week after a poll from Monmouth University found a majority of New Jersey adults — 64% — support the restrictions Murphy installed five weeks ago to fight the pandemic, including ordering residents to stay home, banning social gatherings, closing schools, and mandating nonessential businesses to close.
A record number of New Jerseyans — more than 850,000 — have filed for unemployment since aggressive social distancing began, and businesses here have lost an untold amount of revenue.
The protesters Tuesday held flags and banners supporting US President Donald Trump. One man was selling Trump’s trademark red “Keep America Great” hats to the crowd. Cars drove by honking in support.
And some demonstrators accused Murphy, a Democrat, of being fascist, tyrannical, and even criminal. One sign read: “Murphy’s law — anything that can go wrong will."
Many protesters were not wearing masks or face coverings. And many were not standing at least 6 feet from each other, one of the key social-distancing protocols to help prevent the virus from spreading.
The demonstration was larger than recent coronavirus protests in Trenton, though a tally of attendees was not available. They marched from the Statehouse to the city’s War Memorial, where Murphy holds his daily briefings.
There have been similar protests across the country as governors have instituted lockdown orders in other states, though polling shows most Americans back the restrictions.
Trump, a Republican, has encouraged the protests, while also issuing guidelines that governors can use to reopen their economies.
A main guideline is that there must be a 14-day decline in the number of cases. New Jersey has not met that benchmark, and Trump noted earlier this month the Garden State won’t be among the early states to open.
New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has more COVID-19 cases and related deaths than any state other than New York. As of Tuesday, officials have reported least 111,188 cases in the Garden State.
