mich united for liberty

==roberts says 2nd time state legis closed by guns, 1st Oregon]<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-14/michigan-cancels-legislative-session-to-avoid-armed-protesters?sref=Zd9D2evu">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-14/michigan-cancels-legislative-session-to-avoid-armed-protesters?sref=Zd9D2evu</a>may 14<p style="margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Michigan closed down its capitol in Lansing on Thursday and canceled its legislative session rather than face the possibility of an armed protest and death threats against Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.<div class="hardwall" data-position="1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="softwall" data-position="1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p style="margin: 30px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The gathering, meant to advocate opening the state for business despite the coronavirus pandemic, followed one April 30 that resulted in pictures of protesters clad in military-style gear and carrying long guns crowding the statehouse. They confronted police and taunted lawmakers.<div class="hardwall" data-position="2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="softwall" data-position="2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p style="margin: 30px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The shutdown was done with little fanfare at the end of Wednesday’s State Senate session. About 4:30 p.m., lawmakers in the Republican-majority chamber simply adjourned until Tuesday rather than call the next previously scheduled meeting for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. The Michigan State Police are closing the buildings due to the coronavirus, said spokesman Lieutenant Brian Oleksyk.<div class="hardwall" data-position="3" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="softwall" data-position="3" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" />For the past week, lawmakers have been debating how to safely enable lawmakers to work and vote in session while the state’s laws allow people to bring firearms into the capitol building. The debate grew more tense in recent days as some lawmakers read about <a href="https://twitter.com/MalloryMcMorrow/status/1260284720782495745" itemprop="StoryLink" itemscope="itemscope" title="threats" target="blank" rel="nofollow noopener" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;">threats</a> to the governor’s life on social media, which were published in the Detroit Metro Times.<div class="hardwall" data-position="4" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="softwall" data-position="4" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p style="margin: 30px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued an opinion on May 11 saying that the State Capitol Commission -- a body of six lawmakers who oversee the building and its grounds -- could ban firearms. The commission voted to study a ban this week, but took no action.<aside class="inline-newsletter" data-state="ready" style="margin: 9px 20px 1em -210px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 270px; float: left; clear: left; max-width: 170px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p style="margin: 30px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thursday’s protest, billed as “Judgment Day,” was organized by the right-wing group Michigan United for Liberty, which is protesting the state’s extended stay-at-home order. Whitmer pushed the order to the end of May while giving automakers, their suppliers and other manufacturers the green light to go back to work. On its Facebook page, the group posted a memo asking that protesters remain peaceful.<figure data-align="center" data-id="362029309" data-image-size="full" data-image-type="photo" data-type="image" id="473" class="figure-expandable" style="margin: 30px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 2000px;"><div class="image" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image in viewer" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative;"><div id="lazy-img-362029309" class="lazy-img" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; overflow: hidden;"><img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iMWJxaPy89dI/v0/800x-1.jpg" alt="Armed Protesters Urge Lawmakers To End Michigan's State Of Emergency" data-native-src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iMWJxaPy89dI/v0/-1x-1.jpg" class="lazy-img__image loaded" data-img-type="photo" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; width: 620px; filter: none; display: block;" /></div></div><figcaption style="margin: 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.25; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="news-figure-caption-text caption" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 7px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline;">[pix: Protesters gather outside the doors of the chamber room at the Michigan Capitol Building on April 30.</div><div class="news-figure-credit credit" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline;">Photographer: Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg]</div></figcaption></figure><p style="margin: 30px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Still, lawmakers feared a repeat of April 30, when armed protesters entered the Senate Chamber and stood above them in a visitors gallery during the session.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">State Senator Dayna Polehanki, a Democrat, on Tuesday <a href="https://twitter.com/SenPolehanki/status/1260303806056869888" itemprop="StoryLink" itemscope="itemscope" title="Polehanki" target="blank" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;">proposed</a> a bill to ban firearms in the capitol building. The bill has heavy support from her party.<a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/y3makv/protestors-with-guns-and-no-masks-swarmed-the-michigan-state-capitol-to-protest-the-coronavirus-lockdown">https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/y3makv/protestors-with-guns-and-no-masks-swarmed-the-michigan-state-capitol-to-protest-the-coronavirus-lockdown</a>no lnx pixPeople With Guns (and No Masks) Swarmed the Michigan State Capitol to Protest the Coronavirus LockdownSome state legislators, anticipating the possibility of violence, had even come to work that day wearing bulletproof vests.By Tess OwenApr 30 2020,
Hundreds of protesters — including heavily armed men — crowded into Michigan’s state Capitol building Thursday as Republican House legislators were voting to sue the Democratic governor over coronavirus lockdown measures.
Some legislators, anticipating the possibility of violence, had even come to work that day wearing bulletproof vests.
Earlier in the day, the demonstrators, many in MAGA hats or carrying signs promoting QAnon slogans or bizarre coronavirus conspiracies, stood outside in the pouring rain by the Capitol. Hours later, the group — most not wearing masks — moved indoors and crowded into the hallways, where they jostled for space and demanded to be let in to the legislative chambers. One reporter covering the protest was accidentally hit in the head with a rifle. (She’s fine, but she was shocked by the lack of attention to social distancing).
While the protest was happening, the Republican-led Michigan House voted against an extension of the pandemic-related emergency declaration and prepared to sue Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Right has villainized her for the steps she’s taken to contain the spread of coronavirus in Michigan.
Some of the protesters even chanted “Lock her up.” And when Republicans came out to tell the crowd about the outcome of the vote, the demonstrators cheered.Thursday’s “American Patriot Rally” was organized by a group called Michigan United for Liberty. Facebook removed their event page for the protest last week. Its members had organized one of the first anti-lockdown protests, on April 7, which was much smaller in size. Since then, more than 90 anti-lockdown protests have gone down in 46 states, according to an analysis by VICE News.
On Wednesday, a judge had ruled that Whitmer’s measures were constitutional. She wanted to extend the emergency declaration, which expires late on Thursday, for another 28 days. The vote won’t impact Whitmer’s stay-at-home order, however, which remains in effect until May 15.
“Governor Whitmer understands that this is a frustrating time and that many people are angry,” her office said in a statement. “The governor supports Michiganders' right to free speech and the right to protest, but those participating should not put themselves or first responders at risk.”
“It’s disappointing to see people congregating without masks, and without practicing social distancing,” it added. “ This kind of activity will put more people at risk, and it could mean that more people will die.”
Guns are allowed inside the Michigan Capitol, which has no metal detectors. But protesters aren’t allowed to carry signs or posters in case they damage the historical interior.
Michigan has the third-highest death toll from coronavirus in the country. So far, 3,800 people have died, and nearly 42,000 have gotten sick. The U.S. hit a grim milestone on Wednesday, surpassing 60,000 deaths.
Cover: Protesters try to enter the Michigan House of Representative chamber and are being kept out by the Michigan State Police after the American Patriot Rally organized by Michigan United for Liberty protest for the reopening of businesses on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan on April 30, 2020. ==https://www.the GUK .com/us-news/2020/apr/18/coronavirus-americans-protest-stay-at-home
no lnx many pixThousands of Americans backed by rightwing donors gear up for protestsConservative activists to demand governors lift stay-home orders – and movement has been driven by wealthy conservative groups
Adam Gabbatt @adamgabbattSat 18 Apr 2020 06.00 EDT...Many of the rallies have been inspired by a protest at the Michigan state capitol. Many of the rallies have been inspired by a protest at the Michigan state capitol. Photograph: Matthew Dae Smith/APThousands of people are preparing to attend protests across the US in the coming days, as a rightwing movement against stay-at-home orders, backed by wealthy conservative groups and promoted by Donald Trump, continues to take hold.