Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer slammed the protestors who gathered inside the state Capitol last week protesting her stay at home order, saying they represent some of the “worst racism and awful parts” of the U.S. history.
“Some of the outrageousness of what happened at our Capitol depicted some of the worst racism and awful parts of our history in this country. There were swastikas and Confederate flags and nooses and people with assault rifles,” Whitmer said on CNN’s “State of the Union Sunday morning. “The behavior you’ve seen in all of the clips is not representative of who we are in Michigan.”
She added that the protestors represent only a small portion of the “almost 10 million” Michigander and that most of the protest was peaceful.
“When you think about the fact that this is a state of almost 10 million people, the vast majority of whom are doing the right thing,” Whitmer said. “The behavior you’ve seen in all of the clips is not representative of who we are in Michigan.”
Whitmer defended her stay-at-home order and suggested she won’t be swayed to lift restrictions by protestors or by political pressure.
“The fact of the matter is we are in the global pandemic. This is not something we negotiate ourselves out of and is a political matter. This is a public health crisis that has taken the lives of almost 70,000 Americans,” Whitmer said. “Whether you agree with me or not, I’m working to protect your life if you live in the state of Michigan.”
The rally on Thursday comes after Whitmer extended the stay at home order through May 15, but loosened some of the hardcore restrictions that lead to the first of the nation protest.
President Trump tweeted in defense of the protesters on Friday, calling them “very good people.”
“The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal,” Trump tweeted.
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