LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Governor Gretchen Whitmer held a press conference Wednesday following a large protest held by frustrated Michigan residents.
The protest, known as “Operation Gridlock,” drew thousands of residents around the Capitol to jam traffic and speak against Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order. Demonstrators expressed frustration with the order, saying that Whitmer was overreaching.
Although many remained in their vehicles, others gathered on the Capitol lawn.
When asked about the demonstrators during the conference, Whitmer expressed disappointment in the gathering while defending constitutional rights.
“I support your right to free speech, and I respect your opinions,” Whitmer said. “I just urge you, don’t put yourself at risk, and don’t put others at risk either. I was really disappointed to see people congregating, not wearing masks. I saw someone handing out candy to little kids bare-handed.”
Earlier in the speech, Whitmer spoke of how COVID-19 can live on a stainless steel surface for 72 hours, citing a gas pump as an example.
“Think about how many people touch a gas pump handle in the span of three days,” Whitmer said. “That’s why we don’t want anyone on the road who doesn’t have to be there.”
Whitmer touched on this again in regards to the protest.
“Untold numbers who gassed up on the way here, or grabbed a bite on the way home, we know that this rally endangered people,” Whitmer said. “This kind of activity will put more people at risk, and sadly, it could prolong the amount of time we have to be in this posture. I just ask you to do your part by not spreading COVID-19.”
Whitmer also reminded citizens that the “stay home” order is not a matter of politics.
“This is about public health,” Whitmer said. “We know this is a virus that does not discriminate on party line, or state line, that has no cure, no vaccine, that is deadly, highly contagious. And that’s precisely why we have to be so aggressive here. So in terms of any partisan efforts to get me to change policy based on politics, I’m not focusing on politics. I’m trying to save lives.”
Whitmer was also asked if she was surprised at the number of citizens who turned out for the protest.
“As I said, I’m disappointed,” Whitmer said. “We saw a number of posts about people blocking the ability for an ambulance to get into Sparrow Hospital. We know that CATA bus service had to put out a special bulletin because they weren’t able to help people get to their essential needs, whether it’s the grocery store or the pharmacy. We know that this demonstration is going to come at a cost to people’s health. It already did in those two examples, but we know that when people gather that way without masks, they were in close proximity, they were touching one another, that’s how COVID-19 spreads.”
Whitmer reiterated that this activity could cause more infections.
“The sad irony here is that the protest was they don’t like being in this stay home order,” Whitmer said. “They may have just created a need to lengthen it, which we’re trying to avoid at all costs.”
Whitmer pointed out that no further action is being taken due to the protest.
“I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen, and I’m not predicting that a certain percentage of people get sick,” Whitmer said. “I think it’s important that people…understand what they’re risking by being out when they don’t need to be.”
