Multiple armed men storm Michigan statehouse; unfazed Gov. Whitmer extends emergency through May 28
Protestors try to enter the Michigan House of Representative chamber and are being kept out by the Michigan State Police on Thursday.(JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
Demanding that Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lift the stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus crisis, hundreds of protesters, including those carrying automatic weapons, entered the Capitol in Lansing, Michigan and demanded to be allowed on the House floor.
Armed protesters provide security as demonstrators take part in an "American Patriot Rally," on Thursday on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing.(JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
Gov. Whitmer was protected by state police officers who also blocked the men from moving further into the building. Protesters stood shoulder-to-shoulder outside the House chambers while chanting, “Let us in.”
Multiple armed gunmen storm Michigan’s State House, State police are protecting @GovWhitmer and blocking the gunmen from gaining access to the house floor.
This is America in the age of Trump.
36.2K people are talking about this
Armed men have “stormed the state house” in Michigan.
Gov Whitmer being protected by state police.
So far not even the closest sign of arrest, containing the situation, etc.
42 people are talking about this
The Republican-led state legislature let Michigan’s state of emergency order expire Thursday.
Whitmer, however, didn’t back down, signing an executive order extending the state of emergency through May 28.
The governor accused GOP lawmakers of “putting their heads in the sand and putting more lives and livelihoods at risk. I’m not going to let that happen.”
Whitmer had asked the legislature to extend the state of emergency in order to extend liability protections for health care workers and first responders.
A Michigan court recently ruled that Whitmer’s stay-at-home order does not violate the constitutional rights of residents.
“We’ve got to do everything we can to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 spread,” Whitmer said during a news briefing. “As hard as this moment is for us right now, as isolated as we feel and as stressed as we are about getting back to work, reopening our businesses, we know that if we do it too fast, a second wave is likely and would be even more devastating than the moment we are in.”
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