SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Protestors try to enter the Michigan House of Representative chamber and are being kept out by the Michigan State Police. (Photo by Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)
'America In the Age of Trump': Armed Gunmen Enter Michigan Capitol Demanding End to Covid-19 Lockdown
"You aren't allowed to bring in posters to the Michigan State Capitol, but you can bring guns and rifles."
Apr 30, 2020
The right-wing movement against public health measures designed to stave off the coronavirus pandemic escalated on Thursday as armed gunmen were among those who stormed the Michigan state house and tried to enter the legislative chamber.
The protesters entered the building after holding a small rally outside the State House in Lansing, calling for an end to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order in accordance with guidance from public health experts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The so-called "American Patriot Rally" was organized by the recently-formed group Michigan United for Liberty and came two weeks after a similar protest dubbed "Operation Gridlock" created a traffic jam outside the government building.
Some demonstrators on Thursday wore "Make America Great Again" hats, while others carried firearms into the Capitol building. It is legal to carry a visible weapon in Michigan.
"You aren't allowed to bring in posters to the Michigan State Capitol, but you can bring guns and rifles," wrote progressive activist Linda Sarsour.
The protesters demanded to be let into the state House chamber, where the Republican-controlled legislature was debating an extension of Whitmer's emergency order, which is due to expire at the end of the day Thursday. The lawmakers eventually adjourned without extending the order.
Democratic State Senator Dayna Polehanki posted photos of armed men with long guns in the public gallery above the floor:
A number of progressive advocates noted that racial and economic justice demonstrations have been met with force in recent years, while the crowd of largely white and pro-Trump protesters was permitted to force their way into the Capitol building with weapons.
The protest--during which one speaker compared the crowd to civil rights leaders including Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--came as the advocacy group Progress Michigan released poll results showing the majority of Michigan residents oppose protests like the American Patriot Rally and Operation Gridlock.
More than half of respondents said they trust Whitmer to handle the state's response to the pandemic, while only 15% said they trust the state legislature and 24% said they trust President Donald Trump.
Only 25% supported the anti-Whitmer protests, and 56% opposed them.
"Once again, the polling shows that Michiganders support Gov. Whitmer's commonsense, science-based handling of the COVID-19 crisis," said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. "Operation Gridlock protesters have made a lot of noise, but these numbers make it clear they're only a very vocal minority of our state."
The demonstration came a day after a state court ruled that Whitmer's stay-at-home order does not violate constitutional rights.
"Our fellow residents--have an interest to remain unharmed by a highly communicable and deadly virus, and since the state entered the Union in 1837, it has had the broad power to act for the public health of the entire state when faced with a public crisis," Court of Claims Judge Christopher M. Murray wrote.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The right-wing movement against public health measures designed to stave off the coronavirus pandemic escalated on Thursday as armed gunmen were among those who stormed the Michigan state house and tried to enter the legislative chamber.
The protesters entered the building after holding a small rally outside the State House in Lansing, calling for an end to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order in accordance with guidance from public health experts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The so-called "American Patriot Rally" was organized by the recently-formed group Michigan United for Liberty and came two weeks after a similar protest dubbed "Operation Gridlock" created a traffic jam outside the government building.
Some demonstrators on Thursday wore "Make America Great Again" hats, while others carried firearms into the Capitol building. It is legal to carry a visible weapon in Michigan.
"You aren't allowed to bring in posters to the Michigan State Capitol, but you can bring guns and rifles," wrote progressive activist Linda Sarsour.
The protesters demanded to be let into the state House chamber, where the Republican-controlled legislature was debating an extension of Whitmer's emergency order, which is due to expire at the end of the day Thursday. The lawmakers eventually adjourned without extending the order.
Democratic State Senator Dayna Polehanki posted photos of armed men with long guns in the public gallery above the floor:
A number of progressive advocates noted that racial and economic justice demonstrations have been met with force in recent years, while the crowd of largely white and pro-Trump protesters was permitted to force their way into the Capitol building with weapons.
The protest--during which one speaker compared the crowd to civil rights leaders including Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--came as the advocacy group Progress Michigan released poll results showing the majority of Michigan residents oppose protests like the American Patriot Rally and Operation Gridlock.
More than half of respondents said they trust Whitmer to handle the state's response to the pandemic, while only 15% said they trust the state legislature and 24% said they trust President Donald Trump.
Only 25% supported the anti-Whitmer protests, and 56% opposed them.
"Once again, the polling shows that Michiganders support Gov. Whitmer's commonsense, science-based handling of the COVID-19 crisis," said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. "Operation Gridlock protesters have made a lot of noise, but these numbers make it clear they're only a very vocal minority of our state."
The demonstration came a day after a state court ruled that Whitmer's stay-at-home order does not violate constitutional rights.
"Our fellow residents--have an interest to remain unharmed by a highly communicable and deadly virus, and since the state entered the Union in 1837, it has had the broad power to act for the public health of the entire state when faced with a public crisis," Court of Claims Judge Christopher M. Murray wrote.
The right-wing movement against public health measures designed to stave off the coronavirus pandemic escalated on Thursday as armed gunmen were among those who stormed the Michigan state house and tried to enter the legislative chamber.
The protesters entered the building after holding a small rally outside the State House in Lansing, calling for an end to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order in accordance with guidance from public health experts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The so-called "American Patriot Rally" was organized by the recently-formed group Michigan United for Liberty and came two weeks after a similar protest dubbed "Operation Gridlock" created a traffic jam outside the government building.
Some demonstrators on Thursday wore "Make America Great Again" hats, while others carried firearms into the Capitol building. It is legal to carry a visible weapon in Michigan.
"You aren't allowed to bring in posters to the Michigan State Capitol, but you can bring guns and rifles," wrote progressive activist Linda Sarsour.
The protesters demanded to be let into the state House chamber, where the Republican-controlled legislature was debating an extension of Whitmer's emergency order, which is due to expire at the end of the day Thursday. The lawmakers eventually adjourned without extending the order.
Democratic State Senator Dayna Polehanki posted photos of armed men with long guns in the public gallery above the floor:
A number of progressive advocates noted that racial and economic justice demonstrations have been met with force in recent years, while the crowd of largely white and pro-Trump protesters was permitted to force their way into the Capitol building with weapons.
The protest--during which one speaker compared the crowd to civil rights leaders including Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--came as the advocacy group Progress Michigan released poll results showing the majority of Michigan residents oppose protests like the American Patriot Rally and Operation Gridlock.
More than half of respondents said they trust Whitmer to handle the state's response to the pandemic, while only 15% said they trust the state legislature and 24% said they trust President Donald Trump.
Only 25% supported the anti-Whitmer protests, and 56% opposed them.
"Once again, the polling shows that Michiganders support Gov. Whitmer's commonsense, science-based handling of the COVID-19 crisis," said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. "Operation Gridlock protesters have made a lot of noise, but these numbers make it clear they're only a very vocal minority of our state."
The demonstration came a day after a state court ruled that Whitmer's stay-at-home order does not violate constitutional rights.
"Our fellow residents--have an interest to remain unharmed by a highly communicable and deadly virus, and since the state entered the Union in 1837, it has had the broad power to act for the public health of the entire state when faced with a public crisis," Court of Claims Judge Christopher M. Murray wrote.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy