People in Wisconsin protested as they called for Gov. Tony Evers’ (D) stay-at-home order to be lifted.
Thousands of protesters arrived at the Wisconsin State Capitol in the city of Madison on Friday to demand the governor lift the order and reopen businesses so they can get back to work.
They were reportedly cheering “USA.” The protesters also reportedly held up signs that read, “All Workers, Are Essential” and “Death…. is preferable to communism.”
The footage also shows many of the protesters unmasked while failing to practice social distancing.
See some of the footage below:
Incredible view from @WISN12News News Chopper 12 over Madison this afternoon showing the “stay home” protest against @GovEvers order.
— Tanner Kahler (@tannerkahler) April 24, 2020
That is a lot of people. Our crew on the ground reports some people are carrying long guns at this protest. @ABC @ABCNewsLive pic.twitter.com/7Cr8GUmNgC
If you’re unaware of what’s happening in Wisconsin, this is what Madison looks like right now. Thousands gather to protest Gov. Evers shelter-in-place order. Stay safe, Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/9IMnflxskj
— Sam Li (@TheSamLi) April 24, 2020
Protesters have also weighed in with their perspective of the demonstrations — where roughly 1,500 people attended. Despite the lack of social distancing, protesters believe they will capture the governor’s attention.
One protester also appeared to minimize the severity of the virus, comparing it to the flu and starvation.
“I think this will make Evers respond,” Cindy Warner of Milwaukee told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “People of different backgrounds, races and cultures all want to get back to work. The flu can kill you but so can not eating.”
THOUSANDS turn out to protest Lockdown in Wisconsin #OpenTheEconomy pic.twitter.com/5Izv5Tm4E4
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) April 24, 2020
Mark Batten — a Milwaukee welder and steamfitter — also weighed in to explain his support of the protest.
“The numbers don’t justify (the closure),” Batten said. “It is based on hysteria, not logic.”
The massive protest came a week after Evers’ announcement to extend Wisconsin’s “Safer at Home” order until May 26. Although Evers said that social distancing is working, the state is not “out of the woods just yet.”
“A few weeks ago, we had a pretty grim outlook for what COVID-19 could mean for our state, but because of the efforts of all of you, ‘Safer at Home’ is working. That said, we aren’t out of the woods just yet,” Evers said.
As of Saturday morning, there are more than 5,300 positive coronavirus cases in Wisconsin. The state’s death toll currently stands at 262.