Anti-containment protests on the rise after Trump's statements

Several hundred Americans demonstrated Saturday, April 18 in New Hampshire, Maryland and Texas, to demand the lifting of containment measures.

They were about 400 to demonstrate, on foot or from their car, in front of the Parliament of Concord, capital of the small state of New Hampshire (1.3 million inhabitants), relatively spared from the epidemic with 1,287 confirmed cases and 37 coronavirus dead Friday. Republican Governor Chris Sununu ordered confinement there until at least May 4.

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"The numbers are lying," or "Reopen the NH," said some signs held up by protesters amid American flags. Among them were men in hoods and armed, AFP noted.

In Annapolis, capital of Maryland, protesters stayed in their cars, and AFP saw around 200 parades in front of the local parliament. "Poverty also kills", said a sign, "I will not obey illegal decrees", said another.

In Austin, capital of Texas, the most populous state after California, there were about 250, armed with a sign denouncing in particular "the economic collapse" precipitated by the cessation of all non "essential" activities, which explodes the number of unemployed and makes many people lose all income.

Call to "liberate" democratic states

Friday, Donald Trump, who does not hide his haste to "reopen" the economy of the country while leaving the governors of each state to decide when and how to lift the restrictions, had called for "releasing" from containment three states managed by governors Democrats - Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia.

According to Corentin Sellin, a specialist historian from the United States, the Donald Trump tweets were published "concomitantly with the broadcasting on [the conservative channel] FoxNews of sequences on [patriotic demonstrators" "demanding the end of the confinement.

"Trump does not address the governors in tweets, which could have passed for a circumstantial political injunction. No. A few hours before the demonstrations, he calls to 'liberate' the states and joins a local rebellion movement", adds the historian in a series of tweets.

There, it is VERY serious. #Trump president of the #United States, federal union, calls for the RELEASE of 3 federated states which would therefore be occupied by illegitimate authorities. They are governed by Democrats. Explanations 👇https: //t.co/u5oZ76Uw2c…https: //t.co/uWuDrJo2or…

Not always political motivations

If these rallies seemed to bring together many supporters of Donald Trump, some participants stressed that their motivations were not political.

Dolores, a hairdresser who protested in Annapolis, said she can no longer work or receive government assistance because she is an employer and not employed. "I have to save my things, I have to work to live, otherwise I will die," she told AFP.

Such protests have multiplied in recent days across the United States, the country most affected by the coronavirus with more than 715,000 cases and 37,000 deaths, while unemployment is exploding and many people have lost their income, in a country with a limited social safety net.

The largest to date took place on Wednesday in Lansing, the capital of Michigan, where some 3,000 people have vilified the confinement measures of Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

With AFP

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