There have been a series of protests for over a month in response to the lockdown orders imposed by state and local officials due to the pandemic. Protests have occurred in a majority of states, but the following protests are probably most significant:
- Michigan: Supposedly the state that experienced the largest protests. On April 15, an estimated 3,000 protesters surrounded the State Capitol Building and demanded that Governor Gretchen Whitmer allow businesses to reopen, as well as emphasizing their civil liberties (e.g. freedom of religion). Subsequent protests took place on April 30 and May 14, with some of the protesters being armed.
- Pennsylvania: On April 20, hundreds of protesters showed up in Harrisburg demanding that the state reopen.
- Kentucky: On April 15, protesters demanded that Governor Andy Beshear reopen the state, even going so far as to heckle him during a press conference. On May 25, another protest was held in Frankfort, with one protester hanging Beshear in effigy (with a sign stating “sic semper tyrannis” attached to the doll).
- North Carolina: A series of protests took place on April 14, April 21, and May 12, each drawing people in the hundreds.
- California: protests occurred on April 17, April 18, April 25, May 1, May 2, May 3, and May 21, with some protesters being arrested.
In the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a series of protests and riots have erupted in the following cities across the country:
- Minneapolis: the city where Floyd was killed by a police officer, began with peaceful protests but soon turned into rioting, looting, and arson (e.g. the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct being overrun by protesters and burned down).
- Los Angeles: protests resulted in a highway being temporarily blocked, and rioting and looting soon followed.
- New York City: protests quickly turned in riots, with businesses and police vehicles being targeted for destruction.
- Philadelphia: peaceful protests soon into rioting, particularly in the downtown area.
- Nashville: a protest near the Capitol building quickly turned ugly, with demonstrators setting a fire inside the Metro Courthouse. The protesters also broke windows and ransacked other government buildings. Various businesses were also damaged.
- San Francisco: a protest soon turned into looting within the Union Square.
- Detroit: one individual was killed when someone in a gray Dodge Durango pulled up to the crowd and opened fire on the protesters.
- Portland, Oregon: businesses were vandalized, and the Multnomah County Justice Center was broken into.
- Atlanta: CNN’s downtown headquarters was vandalized and an American flag was burned.
- Washington, D.C.: American flags were burned, protesters demonstrated outside the White House, and a Fox News crew was attacked.
- Houston (where Floyd was originally from): a woman was arrested for having a rifle at a protest in an apparent attempt to incite the crowd, while a freeway was blocked by protesters for half an hour.
- Louisville: shots were fired during a protest (possibly by demonstrators), with seven individuals being wounded, one in critical condition.
Other protests/rioting have also occurred in other major cities in America, including Chicago, Indianapolis, Memphis, Denver, Albuquerque, Columbus, Phoenix, St. Louis, Las Vegas, and Oakland.
The lockdown protests were for the most part peaceful. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the protests over George Lloyd’s death.
