US COVID-19 Protests Continue Into Second Week Over Lockdown Frustrations

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2020) Hundreds of protesters have showed up in front of the state capital building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Monday to urge Governor Tom Wolf to end his stay-at-home orders and reopen the economy on May 1.

This is following a trend of protests that erupted last week in the states of Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Arizona, Tennessee, Colorado and Washington state.

Some are alarmed that the government may be infringing on their constitutionally protected rights, however, most are concerned about the damage businesses are taking through the pandemic.

Protesters in Harrisburg held signs that said "standing for our rights and our freedom," "freedom is essential," "Give me liberty or give me death," "Jesus is my vaccine," "the media is the virus," and "re-open Pennsylvania."

Many of the protesters held "Trump 2020" flags.

A large vehicle parked outside the capital building was covered with Trump campaign signs.

Another demonstration on Monday took place in front of the governor's residence in Augusta, Maine as at least a hundred protesters urged Governor Janet Mills to reopen the state's economy.

Maine protesters held signs that said "my constitutional rights are essential," "back to work now," and "open Maine."

Other demonstrations against COVID-19 mitigation measures are also planned to take place in the states of Missouri and Kansas later on Monday.

US President Donald Trump has been advocating for states to reopen their economies although medical experts have advised that it should be done once testing capabilities across the country have expanded.

Trump made a call-to-action on Friday after he stated that the states of Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia must be liberated from strict restrictions imposed by their Democratic governors.

The United States has more than 762,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 40,700 deaths caused by the disease as of Monday afternoon, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.