Frustrated demonstrators protested New Jersey stay-at-home executive orders.
Protesters gathered in downtown Trenton, New Jersey, on Friday to protest Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive orders on social distancing, some of which deem liquor stores essential businesses and churches nonessential.
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce posted about the protests on social media, including video that captured a line of cars honking their horns across the street from the State House and the governor’s office. The now-deleted tweet showed people waving American flags and chanting “no more fear” through a megaphone.
On Wednesday, Murphy told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he did not consider the constitutionality of his actions prior to issuing the orders.
“Now, the Bill of Rights, as you well know, protects Americans’ right, enshrines their right, to practice their religion as they see fit and to congregate together, to assemble peacefully. By what authority did you nullify the Bill of Rights in issuing this order? How do you have the power to do that?” Carlson asked Wednesday.
“That’s above my pay grade, Tucker,” Murphy responded, saying he “wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this.”
Authorities in other states have faced blowback for strict executive orders that limit outdoor social activities and gatherings. The Raleigh Police Department faced massive online opposition after categorizing protesting as a “nonessential activity.”
Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been chided by police officers within her own state for using her executive authority during the coronavirus pandemic to ban the sale of nonessential goods, including paint, car seats, and gardening equipment. Whitmer’s social distancing executive orders also include a ban on travel between residences.
Earlier on Friday morning, President Trump tweeted a series of calls to “LIBERATE” certain states, including Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia. All three states are 2020 election targets for the president’s campaign.
