Trump is one step removed from Jim Jones

People will die.

President Trump on Friday openly encouraged right-wing protests of social distancing restrictions in states with stay-at-home orders, a day after announcing guidelines for how the nation’s governors should carry out an orderly reopening of their communities on their own timetables.

In a series of all-caps tweets that started two minutes after a Fox News report on the protesters, the president declared, “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” — two states whose Democratic governors have imposed strict social distancing restrictions. He also lashed out at Virginia, where the state’s Democratic governor and legislature have pushed for strict gun control measures, saying: “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”

[...]

Echoed across the internet and on cable television by conservative pundits and ultraright conspiracy theorists, his tweets were a remarkable example of a president egging on demonstrators and helping to stoke an angry fervor that in its anti-government rhetoric was eerily reminiscent of the birth of the Tea Party movement a decade ago.

Mr. Trump’s call for liberation from social distancing rules followed protests around the country as protesters — many wearing red “Make America Great Again” hats — congregated in packed groups around state capitols to demand that restrictions be immediately lifted and to demonize their Democratic governors.

  NYT

The organizer of a protest against New Jersey’s coronavirus stay-at-home order is facing a criminal charge, authorities said.

Kim Pagan, of Toms River, N.J., was charged Friday following the small but noisy demonstration in front of the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton.

New Jersey police accused Pagan of violating emergency stay-at-home orders issued by Gov. Phil Murphy to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

[...]

The protest drew a relatively small crowd and was being policed by troopers wearing masks to protect against the virus, according to NJ.com.

[...]

Pagan was issued a summons and not arrested, according to a news release from state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal.

Violations of emergency orders constitute a disorderly persons offense carrying a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, Gewal said.

  Fox

In this case, jail time would function as an eye-for-an-eye.

Protests against coronavirus stay-at-home orders have been held by conservatives and President Trump supporters in other states, including Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Minnesota and California, according to reports.

Waiting for the Darwin awards.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.