Anti-Lockdown Protests

By Minhaj Gumma, News Editor

Alyson McClaran/REUTERS

Anti-lockdown protests organized by conservative groups, marched through Huntington Beach on Friday, April 17.

A series of national demonstrations also launched through Ohio, Colorado, and Michigan to protest business closures and “Stay at Home” orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Guardian, “the wave of anti-lockdown protests has also been fueled by fringe far-right groups organizing to cynically exploit this time of crisis.”

Many of the safety protocols to avoid spreading the virus were avoided as the majority of the protesters did not wear masks nor did they stand six feet away from one another. These individuals carried American flags, Trump banners, as well as placards reading “Land of the Free” among several other phrases.

Health care workers clashed with anti-lockdown protests in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, April 19. Hundreds of people filled the streets to try to alleviate the stay-home orders, demanding that it is their right to freedom.

Videos and images of the protest have found their way to Twitter, where a woman is seen saying “Go to China if you want communism" to healthcare workers that formed a line on the crosswalk.

Citizens in Denver and nationwide have seen a wave of xenophobia as people become increasingly impatient and frustrated with the government’s decision to shutter businesses deemed “nonessential” and discouraging Americans from going out.

It remains undetermined when isolation orders will be lifted, but in the meantime, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend that all citizens stay home and stay safe.