Demonstrators line up 'body bags' outside Trump's Washington hotel to protest his handling of Covid-19 crisis
Several people took to the streets on Thursday to protest against President Donald Trump and his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The protesters gathered around the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC on Thursday, April 23, in their cars and stepped outside their vehicles in the pouring rain to place “body bags” outside the property to show their anger and frustration.
According to reports, protesters laid more than 20 black bags stuffed with cardboard and newspaper near the sidewalk along Pennsylvania Avenue. They also placed gold-plated signboards bearing the president’s name near the bags.
The plastic bags were filled with stationery items as a symbolic representation of the dead bodies of the coronavirus’ victims in the US. More than 52,000 people have died from coronavirus infection in the US.
The protest was reportedly organized in part by the Center for Popular Democracy and was dubbed the “People's Motorcade”. The demonstration witnessed a number of sedans and SUVs assembling near downtown with signs stuck to their windows and bumpers that read: “Trump lies, people die,” and “Trump is the virus.”
The protesters were angry at the president for first downplaying the outbreak, and later peddling "miracle cures" for the virus.
Some protestors also demanded more personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and face shields for healthcare professionals and front-line workers fighting the deadly virus.
During the protest, a golden-haired inflatable chicken built to resemble Trump, known as the Trump chicken, was also seen. It was strapped to the back of a pickup. However, the demonstrators followed social distancing measures as most of them stayed in their cars, and speeches took place on Zoom video conferencing platform.
Talking about the protest, Jennifer Flynn Walker, senior director of mobilization and advocacy for the Centre for Popular Democracy’s action network, said: “One of the saddest things about this epidemic is we’re dying alone and we can’t memorialize and lift up someone’s life together in the way that we’re used to.”
“So we realized we’re not just going to do a car protest. We’re angry at Trump, but mostly we’re trying to save the lives of our neighbors and our friends. When the president lies, people literally die, especially given his most recent advice that people drink disinfectant or inject it or whatever. Something I learned in the HIV/AIDS epidemic is a virus really can be political. A non-response is akin to letting people die. And that’s the message we wanted to send,” Walker added.
Kristin Mink, a middle school teacher and longtime activist best known for her confrontation with former Environmental Protection Agency director Scott Pruitt, who was present at the procession said like several people she has also brought her four-year-old for the protest. Mink said she told her child that they were going for a parade.
“We have now been home for almost a month, and it can feel very secluded. It’s so hard to have our voices heard in a way that feels tangible and physically fills the streets in a way that feels safe. But the fact that I live in the D.C. area, I wanted to show up in a way that felt like we were still making a statement to the government. In a way that was putting people first,” she added.
Meanwhile, people who could not attend the protest took to Twitter to share their thoughts with one writing: “This needs to happen every. fricking. Day” while another commented, “Awesome. These people are Hero’s.”
“This is the only thing that *might* work--but will it though? My answer is no. Removal of trump is the only answer,” a third person chimed in.