Beginning in early April 2020, there were protests in several

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...

s against government-imposed lockdowns in response to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United States, it has resulted in confirme ...

. The protests, mostly organized by

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization ...

groups and individuals, decried the economic and

social impact Social impact may refer to: * Social impact assessment * Social impact theory Social impact theory was created by Bibb Latané in 1981 and consists of four basic rules which consider how individuals can be "sources or targets of social influence ...

stay-at-home orders A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order (more common in Southeast Asia), or lockdown restrictions (in the United Kingdom) – also referred to by loose use of the terms (self-) quarantine, (self-) isolation, or lockdow ...

, business closures, and restricted personal movement and association, and demanded that their respective states be "re-opened" for normal business and personal activity. The protests made international news and were widely condemned as unsafe and ill-advised, although some political figures expressed support for the protests. They ranged in size from a few hundred people to a few thousand, and spread on social media with encouragement from former U.S. President Donald Trump. By May 1, 2020, there had been demonstrations in more than half of the states; many governors began to take steps to lift the restrictions as daily new infections began decreasing due to social distancing measures.

Background

The Anti-lockdown protests were first spawned with a nationwide call in mid-March by an online Facebook page by the name of "American Revolution 2.0" and a meme that went viral. The page quickly grew to 100,000+ users in less than a week and then was removed from Facebook for violations of terms of service. The group then setup 53 Facebook groups named "AR2" to run protests at the capitol of every state (plus Los Angeles and Chicago). This page and the many groups were led by Naperville, IL native Josh Ellis. On April 30, 2020, at 11pm CST all 53 groups were deleted simultaneously from Facebook for violating terms and conditions. Due to the widespread notoriety and media coverage of the May 1 planned protest many other groups started smaller protests prior to the date. One of the first protests to take place was in Michigan on April 15, 2020. It was organized via a Facebook group called "Operation Gridlock", which was created by the Michigan Conservative Coalition. A spokesman for the Michigan Conservative Coalition encouraged groups in other states to copy the Operation Gridlock wording and templates. Protesters in numerous other states said they were inspired by Michigan, and they used Michigan's material on their own websites, Facebook groups, and Reddit pages to promote their protests. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer falsely claimed that the Michigan Freedom Fund was a party to this event and that it is funded in part by the DeVos family, but a spokesman said the family had nothing to do with the protests. The Trump campaign declined to answer whether it was directly involved with organizing the protest in Michigan, but key protest organizers who did identify themselves were Meshawn Maddock, the wife of Republican

state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United S ...

Matt Maddock and a member of the national advisory board for Women for Trump, and Marian Sheridan, who serves as a vice chair on the

Michigan Republican Party The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan, sometimes referred to as MIGOP. Ronald Weiser was elected chairman in 2021. Ronna Romney McDaniel was the chairwoman of the party, having been ...

, both founding members of Michigan Conservative Coalition. The protest in Washington State was organized by a county

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...

, and speakers included three Republican state legislators.

FreedomWorks FreedomWorks is a conservative and libertarian advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. FreedomWorks trains volunteers, assists in campaigns, and encourages them to mobilize, interacting with both fellow citizens and their political representa ...

, a conservative advocacy group associated with the Tea Party movement, published a "#ReOpenAmerica Planning Guide". Protesters opposed the shelter-in-place orders in their states for various reasons. Many said they want businesses reopened so they can go back to work. Many others displayed pro-Trump banners, signs, and

MAGA Maga or MAGA may refer to: MAGA * Make America Great Again, a political slogan famously used by Donald Trump * Museo MAGA, a modern-art museum in Gallarate, Italy * ''maga'', the logo of the Cornish Language Partnership The Cornish Languag ...

hats. Still others insisted the lockdowns were a violation of their constitutional rights. One militia leader told a reporter, "Re-open my state or we will re-open it ourselves." The anger driving the protests was called "both real and manufactured", with conservative groups engaging in

astroturfing Astroturfing is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization (e.g., political, advertising, religious or public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by grassroots participants. It is a p ...

via centralized organization backed by anonymous donors. The reopen protests have generally been small, with protester numbers ranging from a few dozen to the low hundreds; the first protest in Michigan drew twenty thousand protestors, as estimated by the state police. Protesters included mainstream Republicans, but also far-right groups including Proud Boys and armed

militia movement The American militia movement is a term used by law enforcement and security analysts to refer to a number of private organizations that include paramilitary or similar elements. These groups may refer to themselves as militia, unorganized milit ...

supporters. A large number of " anti-vax" advocates have attended, and some have been the organizers of local protests. Ben, Chris and Aaron Dorr, three guns-rights activist brothers, are the organizers of protests in several midwestern states. Historians have noted that the protests are similar to those who grew tired of restrictions from the

1918 pandemic The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...

. After the murder of

George Floyd George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit twe ...

on May 25, many of the Facebook groups created to organize protests over COVID-19 expanded their focus to attack the protests organized by

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police brutali ...

By state

Midwest

Illinois

On May 1, thousands of anti-lockdown protesters displaying the

Confederate Flag The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...

, a sign written in German that read " work will set you free",

Nazi symbols The 20th-century German Nazi Party made extensive use of graphic symbols, especially the ''swastika'', notably in the form of the swastika flag, which became the co-national flag of Nazi Germany in 1933, and the sole national flag in 1935. A ...

and signs with slogans like "Give me liberty or give me COVID-19" gathered for a "Re-open Illinois" rally in Springfield organized by "American Revolution 2.0." Protesters and counter-protesters met in Chicago and Springfield where two arrests were made for disorderly conduct.

Indiana

Approximately 250 people gathered in front of the Governor's Mansion in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

on April 18, 2020, to protest Governor Eric Holcomb's stay at home order. The protesters did not follow social distancing guidelines, although some wore face masks. The protesters called for the governor to appear and explain himself, and said they were willing to be arrested if necessary.

Michigan

Michigan was the site of the largest of the "re-open" protests. The first confirmed case of coronavirus was recognized in Michigan on March 10, 2020. On April 15, the day of the protest, Michigan had at least 28,059 confirmed cases—the third highest number of cases in the United States—and 1,921 deaths had been attributed to the disease in the state. Metropolitan Detroit had been pronounced a "hot spot". Initial state actions to limit spread of the virus included closure of all K-12 schools, closure of bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues, and a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. On March 24 a statewide stay-at-home order was issued which limited non-essential travel and ordered all non-essential business services and operations to close. The order was extended in early April with additional restrictions included. On April 15, 2020, as estimated by the state police, 20,000 people took part in a protest they called "Operation Gridlock" in the area surrounding the Michigan State Capitol in

Lansing Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, maki ...

. Most protestors remained in their vehicles, jamming the streets around the capitol building, although around 150 protested on the capitol lawn. The protest lasted eight hours. The protest caused delays during a shift-change at

Sparrow Hospital Sparrow Hospital is a 733-bed teaching hospital located in Lansing, Michigan that provides care for the greater Mid-Michigan region. The hospital is a subsidiary of Sparrow Health System, and is affiliated with the Colleges of Human Medicine a ...

. Police described the protesters as respectful, with most trying to maintain social distancing; no arrests were made. Protesters complained of loss of work and other economic hardship caused by the state government's coronavirus response. Some felt that if they were not sick, that they should have the freedom to continue with their normal routine. Others claimed violation of their

civil liberties Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties may ...

or expressed opposition to Governor Gretchen Whitmer's administration. Some protesters lived in more rural areas of Michigan that had not seen as many coronavirus cases as the cities of Detroit or Flint. On April 30, a second protest organized as part of the "American Revolution 2.0" national protest occurred when hundreds of protesters, many carrying firearms, gathered at the Michigan Capitol. Many protesters were able to enter the building. The demonstration had assistance organizing locally by the conservative group American Patriot Council . The protest was much smaller than the one on April 15, but the show of firearms and the violent tone of some of the signs indicated that things were changing. Some protesters compared the Governor to

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and then ...

while children danced in masks of Donald Trump and Barack Obama on the steps of the Capitol. Governor Whitmer extended the

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

regardless. On May 14, more armed protesters, organized by the group Michigan United for Liberty, gathered outside the Michigan State Capitol. The organization's Facebook group was deleted over death threats against Governor Whitmer and a fight broke out over a doll tied to a noose at the protest. The Michigan Legislature closed its scheduled session to avoid the possibility of another armed confrontation inside the chamber. On May 20, seven hairdressers were ticketed for cutting hair on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol, for allegedly violating their licenses. The charges were later dropped. A peaceful demonstration of prayers organized by the religious non-profit Transformation Michigan was performed on the Capitol lawn on May 28.

Minnesota

On April 17, about 800 protesters gathered outside the Governor's Mansion in St. Paul for a "Liberate Minnesota" encouraged by President Trump's tweets. On April 19, Sven Sundgaard, a meteorologist at

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are ...

affiliate KARE11, reposted a quote from a Rabbi Michael Latz accusing the right wing protesters of being ''"white nationalist Nazi sympathizer gun fetishist miscreants"'' on his personal Facebook page. Sundgaard was subsequently fired for "ethics violations." On May 11, a few dozen people gathered outside Albert Lea City Hall for a "prayer protest" in response to the pandemic lockdown. On May 23, more than 200 attended what was supposed to be the reopening of a tavern in Albany. After attorneys obtained an

injunction An injunction is a legal and equitable remedy in the form of a special court order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific acts. ("The court of appeals ... has exclusive jurisdiction to enjoin, set aside, suspend (in whole or in ...

to prevent the reopening, the crowd became a protest. Attendees harassed a reporter for wearing a mask and intentionally coughed in public while not wearing masks. On June 25, a couple wore Nazi flags in lieu of masks on their faces while shopping at a grocery store in Marshall.

North Dakota

Even though Governor Doug Burgum did not issue a stay-at-home order, about 150 protesters gathered outside the

North Dakota State Capitol The North Dakota State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The capitol, a 21-story Art Deco tower, is located in Bismarck at 600 East Boulevard Avenue, and is the tallest habitable building in the state. On ...

in Bismarck to demand the state government reopen concert venues, movie theaters, gyms, nail salons, massage parlors and barber shops.

Ohio

Protests began in Ohio on April 9, with about 75 gathering outside of the

Ohio Statehouse The Ohio Statehouse is the state capitol building and seat of government for the U.S. state of Ohio. The Greek Revival building is located on Capitol Square in Downtown Columbus. The capitol houses the Ohio General Assembly, consisting of the H ...

to protest Governor

Mike DeWine Richard Michael DeWine (; born January 5, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 70th and current governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, DeWine began his career as a prosecutor before being elected to the Oh ...

's stay at home order. A second protest on April 13 grew to a group of 200–300 people. The following weekend, protests began on April 17, with dozens protesting outside the east side of the Statehouse. The next day, April 18, the protests grew to hundreds. Protesters carried signs with slogans lamenting the loss of liberties for the sake of safety, as well as signs critical of state officials, and demanded that the state be immediately reopened. The governor said that he would not interfere with the protests, provided they adhered to social distancing guidelines. Photographs from the protests on April 18 indicated that not all protesters had been honoring those guidelines; however, many of them stayed in cars. On May 2, a small group of anti-lockdown protesters in

Bexley Bexley is an area of south-eastern Greater London, England and part of the London Borough of Bexley. It is sometimes known as Bexley Village or Old Bexley to differentiate the area from the wider borough. It is located east-southeast of Char ...

patrolled the streets outside the private residence of

Ohio Department of Health The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for coordinating activities for child and family health services, children with medical handicaps, early intervention services, nutrition ...

Director Dr.

Amy Acton Amy Leigh Acton (née Stearns; ) is an American physician and public-health researcher who served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019–2020. She played a leading role in Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ear ...

. The Bexley City Council briefly considered a local ordinance banning protests outside Acton's home, but ultimately decided against the measure.

Wisconsin

Several thousand people gathered at the state capitol in

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

on April 24 to protest the state's "Safer at Home" rules requiring social distancing and the closure of nonessential businesses. On that day the state health department announced 304 new positive tests—the most new cases most since the pandemic began. On May 8, Wisconsin DHS reported that over 72 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 had recently attended a "large event."

Northeast

Connecticut

Hundreds of protesters paraded through Hartford at the
CT Liberty Rally
on April 20 demanding that businesses closed by Governor Ned Lamont's coronavirus legislation be reopened. The

Libertarian Party of Connecticut The Libertarian Party of Connecticut is a statewide affiliate of the U.S. Libertarian Party. According to the bylaws posted on its web site, the Connecticut Libertarian Party has the basic aims of furthering individual freedom and opposing the ...

organized the event.

Massachusetts

About a dozen protesters gathered outside Governor

Charlie Baker Charles Duane Baker Jr. (born November 13, 1956) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Baker was a cabinet official under two governors of Massa ...

's home in

Swampscott Swampscott () is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population was 15,111 as of the 2020 United States Census. A former summer resort on Massachusetts Ba ...

on April 23. Supporters made laps up and down the street in vehicles with

flags, while medical workers tried to convince them to disperse. On April 26, protesters met outside a Bristol County government building in Fall River. On May 4, hundreds gathered outside the

Massachusetts State House The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the New State House, is the state capitol and seat of government for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston. The build ...

for a "Liberty Rally" promoted by conservative radio show host Jeffrey Kuhner and by Super Happy Fun America, the organizers of the controversial 2019 Boston Straight Pride Parade. The rally crowd was "tightly packed", largely ignored social distancing protocols, and many in the group refused to wear masks.

New Hampshire

Hundreds, including libertarian talk show host Ian Freeman, protested at the

New Hampshire State House The New Hampshire State House, located in Concord at 107 North Main Street, is the state capitol building of New Hampshire. The capitol houses the New Hampshire General Court, Governor, and Executive Council. The building was constructed on a ...

on April 17 calling on Governor

Chris Sununu Christopher Thomas Sununu ( ; born November 5, 1974) is an American politician and engineer who has served as the 82nd governor of New Hampshire since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Sununu was a member of the New Hampshire Executive Co ...

to reopen the state.

New Jersey

On April 17, an anti-lockdown protest occurred in Trenton. Days later, charges were brought against the organizer of the rally for violating social distancing guidelines. A smaller group of protesters also demonstrated in a Walmart parking lot in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

that same day. On May 20, hundreds of hairdressers and barbers organized by the "NJ Salon And Spa Coalition" gathered in

Verona Park Verona Park is a park located in Verona, as part of the Essex County Park System, New Jersey. Verona Park is a park with a lake bordered by Lakeside and Bloomfield Avenues in the southern part of Verona. This is the fifth largest park within t ...

dressed in black to plead for the state to reopen their businesses. On November 28, a pro-Trump "Stop the Steal' caravan protest traveled around New Jersey for several hours starting near the Trump Golf Course in Bedminster and ending near Governor Murphy's home in Middletown where the focus shifted to criticizing the statewide lockdown restrictions.

New York

On April 22, scores of cars and trucks blared their horns near Albany's Capitol Park in a protest called "Operation Gridlock: Reopen NY". On May 1, hundreds protested in Commack, Long Island. Most protesters ignored social-distancing protocols, but no arrests were made, according to Suffolk County police.

Pennsylvania

On Patriots' Day, April 20, hundreds of protesters marched on Pennsylvania's state capitol building during a Monday morning "Operation Gridlock Pennsylvania" event in

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in P ...

. The protest was organized by three groups, "Re-open Pennsylvania", "End the Lockdown Pennsylvania" and "Pennsylvania Against Excessive Quarantine" led in part by an Ohio-based Second Amendment rights activist named Chris Dorr.

Rhode Island

Anti-lockdown protesters clashed with a line of healthcare worker counter-protesters outside the

Rhode Island State House The Rhode Island State House, the capitol of the state of Rhode Island, is located at 900 Smith Street just below the crest of Smith Hill, on the border of downtown in Providence. It is a neoclassical building designed by McKim, Mead & White ...

on April 25.

Vermont

According to the

VTDigger VTDigger is an investigative journalism platform that reports on politics, businesses, events, and public policy of Vermont. VTDigger was founded in September 2009 by its current Executive Director, Anne Galloway, who was nominated for the "Verm ...

, 7 to 10 anti-lockdown protesters gathered in Montpelier on April 20.

South

Alabama

Approximately 60 anti-lockdown protesters marched near the

Alabama State Capitol The Alabama State Capitol, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the First Confederate Capitol, is the state capitol building for Alabama. Located on Capitol Hill, originally Goat Hill, in Montgomery, it was declared a National H ...

at "Reopen Alabama" rally in Montgomery on April 21.

Florida

Anti-lockdown protesters marched from the Governor's Mansion to the Old Capitol Building in Tallahassee to demand that the state allow businesses to go back to work. On May 11, a group of 20 to 30 protesters did

squats Squat, squatter or squatting may refer to: Body position * Squatting position, a sitting position where one's knees are folded with heels touching one's buttocks or back of the thighs * Squat (exercise), a lower-body exercise in strength and co ...

and

sit-up The sit-up (or curl-up) is an abdominal endurance training exercise to strengthen, tighten and tone the abdominal muscles. It is similar to a crunch (crunches target the rectus abdominis and also work the external and internal obliques), but s ...

exercises outside the courthouse in Clearwater to call for the reopening of gyms.

Kentucky

Dozens of people gathered on the lawn of the state capitol in Frankfort in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 15, 2020, to protest Governor

Andy Beshear Andrew Graham Beshear (born November 29, 1977) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the 63rd governor of Kentucky since December 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the son of the 61st governor of Kentucky, Steve Be ...

's anti-coronavirus measures. They could also be heard inside the capitol building. Throughout Governor Beshear's one-hour press briefing, the protesters chanted continuously and occasionally blew a horn. The principal demand was that businesses in the state be reopened. On May 25, a group of protesters organized by Take Back Kentucky, angry about the

Second Amendment The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each ...

and coronavirus restrictions, hung the governor in

effigy An effigy is an often life-size sculptural representation of a specific person, or a prototypical figure. The term is mostly used for the makeshift dummies used for symbolic punishment in political protests and for the figures burned in certai ...

in front of the Kentucky statehouse. A sign reading "

sic semper tyrannis ''Sic semper tyrannis'' is a Latin phrase meaning "thus always to tyrants". In contemporary parlance, it means tyrannical leaders will inevitably be overthrown. The phrase also suggests that bad but justified outcomes should, or eventually will ...

" was attached to the hanging doll.

Louisiana

On July 14, a man was arrested after being asked by a police officer to wear a mask inside a Walmart in

West Monroe West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is situated on the Ouachita River, across from the neighboring city of Monroe. The two cities are often referred to as the Twin Cities of northeast Louisiana. Its population ...

. The man allegedly struck the officer twice with his car.

Maryland

On Saturday, April 18, ReOpen Maryland and Marylanders Against Excessive Quarantine held a driving protest in the state capital,

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

, against state restrictions continuing beyond May 1, drawing a claimed "at least 200 cars full of people." On Saturday, May 2, ReOpen Maryland organized another driving protest between rallies in Frederick,

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

, and Salisbury, a span of 155 miles. Republican Rep. Andy Harris addressed the rally in Salisbury, comparing Maryland to North Korea, saying, "I didn't wake up in Communist China and I didn't wake up in North Korea...and tomorrow morning, I should be able to go to the church of my choice and worship the way I choose." ReOpen Maryland protested in Annapolis without cars on Friday, May 15, and again on Saturday, May 30. Another rally was held in Westminster on Saturday, June 6. Reopen Baltimore County held a rally in the county seat of

Towson Towson () is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Baltim ...

on Friday, May 22. Reopen Howard County held a rally at the Howard County courthouse in the county seat of

Ellicott City Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, United States. Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its population was 65,834 at the 2010 census, making it the mo ...

on Tuesday, May 26. In late June, the chair and co-founder of ReOpen Maryland said that he had tested positive for coronavirus but he would not help with contact tracing efforts. He said that got coronavirus "because Satan demmed to get it. Because he wanted to quiet my work." He said later that he and his family contracted COVID-19 and that he developed pneumonia because of it, but he still does not believe that the state needs to be shut down. On September 18, 2020, Reopen Maryland and Return2Learn Maryland Schools organized a protest march in downtown Annapolis urging the governor to reopen all Maryland businesses and schools. Attendance was described as "hundreds of people" or "nearly a hundred Marylanders, most without masks".

Mississippi

Dozens of protesters carrying Trump campaign merchandise and Confederate Flags rallied to "Open Up Mississippi" in Jackson on April 25.

North Carolina

Reopen NC in Graham (2020 May) (49867247561)

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, about 100 people protested outside the capitol building on April 14. One woman was arrested for violating the governor's order and refusing to leave the parking lot. A second "ReOpen NC" protest of about 300 people was held on April 21—a day on which the state's coronavirus death toll increased by 34 to a total of 213. A leader of the ReOpen NC group revealed in a Facebook post that she tested positive for COVID-19. She described herself as an "asymptomatic COVID19 positive patient." After her antibody test came back negative but her COVID-19 test result was positive, she was given a quarantine order. She has alleged that this violated her civil rights. In North Carolina some anti-lockdown protesters were known to be carrying massive amounts of weapons including an AT-4 Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher.

Texas

On Saturday, April 18, hundreds protested at the statehouse in Austin, Texas at a "You Can't Close America" rally organized by '' InfoWars''

Alex Jones Alexander Emerick Jones (born February 11, 1974) is an American far-right and alt-right radio show host and prominent conspiracy theorist. He hosts ''The Alex Jones Show'' from Austin, Texas, which the Genesis Communications Network broadcas ...

. On May 12, hair salon owner Shelley Luther was found guilty of civil and criminal

contempt Contempt is a pattern of attitudes and behaviour, often towards an individual or a group, but sometimes towards an ideology, which has the characteristics of disgust and anger. The word originated in 1393 in Old French contempt, contemps, ...

in Dallas for ignoring a temporary restraining order. After earning the support from

Sean Hannity Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961) is an American talk show host, conservative political commentator, and author. He is the host of '' The Sean Hannity Show'', a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and has also hosted a comment ...

and

Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas fro ...

for her alleged

civil disobedience Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called "civil". Henc ...

and half a million dollars in

gofundme GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the be ...

money, she admitted to receiving $18,000 in stimulus money designed to help her business while it remained closed. On May 23, a few dozen protesters gathered outside the Texas State Capitol in Austin for a "Texas Freedom Rally" sponsored by the Texas Freedom Coalition. Shelly Luther was a speaker. On July 4, 2020, an event called "The Freedom Rally" was held in front of the Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo to protest masks, lockdowns, the science behind COVID-19 and "liberal media." In August 2021, rally organizer Caleb Wallace died of COVID-19 leaving behind three daughters and a pregnant wife.

West

Alaska

On April 23, a caravan of vehicles paraded through downtown

Anchorage Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...

honking horns, waving flags and displaying signs that read "Open Alaska", "Don't Tread on Me" and "Shrink government, open business." The protesters primarily opposed Democratic mayor

Ethan Berkowitz Ethan Avram Berkowitz (born February 4, 1962) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician from Alaska. From 1997 to 2007 he was the Alaska State Representative for District 26, serving as the Democratic Party Minority Leader from 1999 ...

for being too slow in ending the lockdown. Protesters expressed that they were on the same side as the state's Republican governor on the issue.

California

On April 17, a group of more than 200 protested against the stay-at-home rules in

Huntington Beach Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...

. The protesters demanded the reopening of California's economy. A 36-year-old attorney was arrested for pulling a knife on a television crew, forcing them into their van and ordering them to delete any footage they had filmed of him. He held the crew in the van against their will before being stopped and arrested by police. On April 18, several hundred people protested in

Downtown San Diego Downtown San Diego is the city center of San Diego, California, the eighth largest city in the United States. In 2010, the Centre City area had a population of more than 28,000. Downtown San Diego serves as the cultural and financial center and ...

, saying they wanted businesses and beaches reopened. Another protest occurred April 19 in

Encinitas Encinitas ( Spanish for "Small Oaks") is a beach city in the North County area of San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego, between Solana Beach and Carlsbad, and about south ...

. On April 20, hundreds of protesters marched or drove around the

California State Capitol The California State Capitol is the seat of the Government of California, California state government, located in Sacramento, California, Sacramento, the state capital of California. The building houses the chambers of the California State Legisl ...

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

. The rally was organized by the Freedom Angels, a group best known for its opposition to mandatory vaccination. Following this protest, the

California Highway Patrol The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enforce ...

announced that it will no longer issue permits for any events on state properties. On April 25, at least three protesters were arrested for violating the stay-at-home order and refusing to leave a closed beach in

. On April 25, at least 200 people protested at "A Day of Liberty San Diego Freedom Rally" on Pacific Beach organized by the same people who organized last weeks downtown rally. The rally was strongly condemned by community leaders, but arrests were not reported. On April 26, protesters carrying signs that said "SM BIZ MATTERS" and "My constitutional rights are essential" gathered in

Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land a ...

. On May 1, a series of simultaneous protests all over California were planned for Friday but only three attracted large crowds. Hundreds gathered and 32 were arrested in Sacramento. 2500 to 3000 gathered in Huntington Beach to protest the Governor's new order to re-close beaches in Orange County. On May 1, 1000, anti-lockdown protesters rallied in Ventura. The event was described as a "nonpolitical peaceful protest to fully reopen California." Ventura Police Department officials said they estimated the size at about 1,000 people. On May 1, about 100 cars draped in American Flags and signs reading "Open Our Country" and "Remember the Constitution" jammed

De la Guerra Plaza Plaza de la Guerra, also known as De La Guerra Plaza, is a public plaza in downtown Santa Barbara, California, USA, located right next to the ''Santa Barbara News-Press'' offices. It is best known for the activities that take place there during Sa ...

in Santa Barbara on Friday afternoon. On May 2, one hundred plus anti-lockdown protesters rallied in

Laguna Beach Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish for "Lagoon") is a seaside resort city located in southern Orange County, California, in the United States. It is known for its mild year-round climate, scenic coves, environmental preservation efforts, and ...

. An MSNBC reporter was attacked mid-broadcast by a protester who got in his personal space and yelled at him to "take off that damn mask." On May 2, a lone man protested face-mask requirements by openly wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood at Vons supermarket in Santee. Less than a week later, a couple pushing a stroller shopped at a Food 4 Less in Santee with Nazi swastikas on their masks. On May 3, about 300 protesters rallied in

Rancho Cucamonga Rancho Cucamonga was a Mexican land grant in present-day San Bernardino County, California, given in 1839 to the dedicated soldier, smuggler and politician Tiburcio Tapia by Mexican governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. The grant formed parts of p ...

, ignored social-distancing rules, held Trump banners and chanted " Four More Years." On May 21, the leader of a Stay Home Order protest was arrested in

San Clemente San Clemente (; Spanish for " St. Clement") is a city in Orange County, California. Located in the Orange Coast region of the South Coast of California, San Clemente's population was 64,293 in at the 2020 census. Situated roughly midway betw ...

for refusing to comply with a dispersal order. On May 23, over 2000 protesters join LibertyFest anti-lockdown rally next to California State Capitol in Sacramento. On July 14, gyms in

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural ...

and University Heights, San Diego remained open despite Governor Newsom's renewed statewide closings. On July 15, a grocery store employee in Los Angeles used pepper spray against a customer who allegedly assaulted a woman after being asked to wear a mask. On July 28, about five dozen hairstylists gathered in front of San Diego City Hall to protest county rules prohibiting salons from providing services indoors. On November 30, hundreds, including former

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

champion

Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz (; born January 23, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist and politician. He is currently signed to the Combate Americas promotion. Ortiz is best known for his stints with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (U ...

, gathered at a pier in

for a "curfew breaker" protest against COVID-19 restrictions. On January 24, 2021, a church group protested San Diego County's purple tier restrictions at a "Let Us Worship" event in

El Cajon El Cajon ( , ; Spanish: El Cajón, meaning "the box") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajón, which was in turn named for the box-like shape of the v ...

. Mayor William Wells led prayers while hundreds of mostly maskless protesters ignored social distancing protocols. On April 13, 2021, anti-mask protesters stormed a grocery store in

Carmel Valley, San Diego Carmel Valley is a suburban planned community in the northwestern corner of San Diego, California, United States. The community is composed of commercial offices, residential units, hotels, retail stores and restaurants. History Ahwel-Awa Na ...

taking an emotional toll on staff. On April 10, 2022, thousands gathered for a "Defeat the Mandates" rally in

Grand Park Grand Park is a park located in the civic center of Los Angeles, California. First developed in 1966 as the 'Civic Center Mall' with plazas, fountains and a Court of Flags, it is now a part of the larger redevelopment known as the Grand Avenu ...

in front of

Los Angeles City Hall Los Angeles City Hall, completed in 1928, is the center of the government of the city of Los Angeles, California, and houses the mayor's office and the meeting chambers and offices of the Los Angeles City Council. It is located in the Civic Ce ...

. Truckers from the People's Convoy and protesters from as far away as New York listened to speakers and musical performers opposed to several COVID-19 related bills in the state legislature.

Colorado

A Facebook event was created for a gathering called "Operation Gridlock Denver" for April 19, with more than 550 people stating they were going to the event. The operation plan was to "drive to the capitol in Denver and gridlock the roads in protest to the mandatory lockdowns and violation of constitutional rights..." Footage from the counter-protest went viral after counter-protestors dressed as nurses silently stood in front of cars participating in the protest Operation Gridlock, while wearing their scrubs and N95 face masks. One nurse who participated in the counter-protest stated the protest felt like "a slap in the face to medical workers". The counter protestors claimed to be nurses from a local hospital but declined to identify themselves or their employer. Ammon Bundy January 23, 2016

Idaho

Several hundred protesters assembled at the

Idaho State Capitol The Idaho State Capitol in Boise is the home of the government of the U.S. state of Idaho. Although Lewiston briefly served as Idaho's capital from the formation of Idaho Territory in 1863, the territorial legislature moved it to Boise on ...

building in

Boise Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown area' ...

under the slogan "Disobey Idaho" on April 17. The protest was organized by three conservative groups—the "Idaho Freedom Foundation", "Idaho Second Amendment Alliance" and " Health Freedom Idaho"—and emceed by Republican

Tammy Nichols. On August 25, activist

Ammon Bundy Ammon Edward Bundy (born September 1, 1975) is an American anti-government militant and activist. A car fleet manager by profession, Bundy gained widespread attention by leading the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. He is t ...

was arrested twice in two days for trespassing at the

. Dozens more pushed past police and were allowed to sit in the gallery overlooking the

Idaho House of Representatives The Idaho House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. It consists of 70 representatives elected to two-year terms. The state is divided into 35 districts, each of which elects two representatives to separate se ...

without masks.

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

Scott Bedke Scott Conrad Bedke (born April 27, 1958) is an American politician serving as a member of the Idaho House of Representatives for the 27A district. In December 2012, Bedke defeated fellow Republican Lawerence Denney to become speaker of the Idaho ...

ultimately allowed them to fill every seat despite social distancing rules. On March 6, 2021, more than a hundred protesters gathered outside the Idaho State Capitol for a "burn the mask" event organized by the husband of Idaho state representative

Dorothy Moon Dorothy Moon is an American far-rightDavid Smith'Republican and more Republican': Idaho shifts ever rightward ''The Guardian'' (May 11, 2022): "elections for other offices of state are more competitive between the hard right and harder right. ... ...

and others.

Nevada

Hundreds of protesters gathered on April 18 in

Carson City Carson City is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the sixth largest city in Nevada. The majority of the city's population lives in Eagle Valley, on th ...

at the

Nevada State Capitol The Nevada State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of Nevada located in the state capital of Carson City at 101 North Carson Street. The building was constructed in the Neoclassical Italianate style between 1869 and 1871. It is l ...

and on Carson Street chanting "End the shutdown", "One nation under God", and "Recall Sisolak".

New Mexico

A small group of anti-lockdown protesters gathered at Civic Plaza in

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

for an Operation Gridlock event on April 24. Small protests also took place in Santa Fe and Farmington.

Oregon

Dozens of protesters circled the

Oregon State Capitol The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capitol, Salem. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 ...

in Salem in their vehicles on April 17, 2020. 200 people gathered outside City Hall in Redmond. The "Re-Open Oregon" rally was held on May1 and2. On December 21, during an anti-lockdown protest, about 300 demonstrators attempted to storm the

, but they were warded off by responding officers with the Oregon State Police. At the time, the State Capitol was hosting a special legislative session closed to the public. The group included members of far-right groups such as Proud Boys and

Patriot Prayer Patriot Prayer is a far-right group founded by Joey Gibson in 2016 and based in Vancouver, Washington, a suburban city in the Portland metropolitan area. Since 2016, the group has organized several dozen pro-gun, pro-Trump rallies held in liber ...

Utah

Hundreds protested on the lawn at Salt Lake City's Washington Square on Saturday, April 18. The day before the protest, according to a police affidavit, Mayor Erin Mendenhall was threatened by a man who stated, "The mayor needs to open up the city. If she doesn't, she'll be forcibly removed from office. There's a protest tomorrow and if things don't change, a civil war is coming, and the police can't stop me." The man was arrested and booked for making a terroristic threat and electronic communication harassment.

Washington

The

Kitsap County Kitsap County is located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 275,611. Its county seat is Port Orchard, and its largest city is Bremerton. The county was formed out of King County and Jefferson County ...

Republican Party coordinated an event "Hazardous Liberty! Defend the Constitution!" called in Olympia on April 19. The Olympia event was attended by more than two thousand people. Speakers included three Republican state legislators. On April 26, dozens of boaters in Lake Union protested the state ban on recreational fishing that is part of Governor Jay Inslee's "Stay at Home, Stay Healthy" order.

Wyoming

On April 9, about 20 people protested what they called "government overreach" at Pioneer Park in

Casper Casper may refer to: People * Casper (given name) * Casper (surname) * Casper (Maya ruler) (422–487?), ruler of the Mayan city of Palenque * Tok Casper, first known king of Maya city-state Quiriguá in Guatemala, ruling beginning in 426 * Da ...

. Republican Governor

Mark Gordon Mark Gordon (born March 14, 1957) is an American politician who has served as the 33rd governor of Wyoming since January 7, 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as state treasurer; then-governor Matt Mead appointed him ...

appeared at a protest outside the

Wyoming State Capitol The Wyoming State Capitol is the state capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Wyoming. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne and contains the chambers of the Wyoming State Legislature as well as the office ...

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

on April 20. On April 24, about 35 people attended a "Rally for Choice to Work" in downtown

Response

On April 16, President Donald Trump issued guidelines for how to phase out restrictions, saying that governors would decide how to reopen their own states and suggesting a cautious three-phase approach. The next day he reacted to the protests against social restrictions by encouraging the protests, tweeting "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" and "LIBERATE MINNESOTA!" Trump has continued to defend the protesters by saying; "They seem very responsible to me" and "These are people expressing their views." Stephen Moore, a right-wing member of his economic council, was criticised for comparing the protesters to Rosa Parks. Maia Niguel Hoskin of Vox claimed that "ignorance, privilege, and anti-black racism" was a main factor behind the protests. On April 20, 2020, Facebook announced that it was blocking events and messages from anti-quarantine protest groups "when gatherings do not follow the health parameters established by the government and are therefore unlawful". The governors of New Jersey and Nebraska say they have not asked Facebook to take down the posts. Despite Facebook apparently acting on its own volition, Donald Trump, Jr. claimed Facebook was "colluding with state governments to quash free speech".

State governments

Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) accused the president of "fomenting domestic rebellion" with his "LIBERATE!" tweets, saying, "The president's statements this morning encourage illegal and dangerous acts. He is putting millions of people in danger of contracting COVID-19." On '' This Week'' two days later, Inslee said the president's call to ignore his own team's guidelines was "schizophrenic". When asked if there is a fundamental right to go to work, New York Governor

Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( ; ; born December 6, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cuo ...

encouraged protesters to get an essential job. North Carolina Governor

Roy Cooper Roy Asberry Cooper III (born June 13, 1957) is an American attorney and politician, serving as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th attorney general of North Carolina from 200 ...

responded to the first protest in his state, saying, "Some people want to completely obliterate these restrictions. It would be a catastrophe. The numbers are very clear that the interventions that we've entered into—social gatherings, limitations on bars and restaurants, the stay at home order—those kinds of things are working."

General public

On April 16, Pew Research polls indicated that 32% of Americans worried state governments would take too long to re-allow public activities, while 66% feared the state restrictions would be lifted too quickly. Many lawmakers and other public figures have condemned the protests as unsafe and ill-advised. Republican

Mike Shirkey Michael J. Shirkey (born December 5, 1954) is an American politician serving as a Republican member of the Michigan State Senate and former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. He was first elected to the House in 2010 and to the S ...

, the Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate, called the protesters in his state "a bunch of jackasses."