Healthcare workers in Denver blocked a group of anti-quarantine protesters planning to storm the capital to fight the state’s stay-at-home order.
According to Now This News, two healthcare workers, dressed in scrubs and N95 masks, stood in the crosswalk of a Denver street to prevent protesters from driving Monday. Video of the incident was recorded and posted on Twitter by @MarcZenn.
The video shows a woman hanging out of her vehicle’s window shouting “Go to China if you want communism” and “You get to go to work, why can’t we?”
Hundreds of anti-quarantine protesters showed up to the state capital Sunday as part of two protests organized by ReOpen Colorado and other conservative groups. Protesters were shown carrying American flags and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags, the unofficial flag of the Tea Party, as well as signs about reopening businesses and schools.
“Coloradans have a First Amendment right to protest and to free speech, and the Governor hopes that they are using social distancing and staying safe,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’ office said in a statement. “No one wants to reopen Colorado businesses and lift these restrictions more than the Governor, but in order to do that, Coloradans have to stay home as much as possible during this critical period, wear masks and wash their hands regularly to slow the spread of this deadly virus.”
The state has more than 9,700 cases of coronavirus and at least 420 residents have died. Colorado is set to continue its stay-at-home order until at least April 26. Other anti-quarantine protests have occurred in Michigan, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina over the weekend.
However, the anti-quarantine protesters appear to be in the minority. A Politico poll showed 81% of Americans agreed we “should continue to social distance for as long as is needed to curb the spread of coronavirus, even if it means continued damage to the economy.”
The coronavirus outbreak has led to more than 20 million job losses in a month and the virus is hitting African Americans harder than other races.