Protesters lay body bags outside Trump hotel to condemn COVID-19 response

Demonstrators frustrated with the Trump administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic protested this week by laying fake “body bags” outside the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. and driving cars in a funeral-like procession. 

The “People’s Motorcade” protest featured a procession of vehicles past the White House and to the hotel, with an inflatable Trump chicken making an appearance. Outside Trump International Hotel, black plastic bags filled with cardboard were left to look like victims of the coronavirus pandemic.  

Aside from protesting Trump’s response, some in the group said they were calling for more personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care professionals and frontline workers. 

Oh my God.

Right now in DC protesters are surrounding the Trump Hotel with body bags.#TrumpLiesPeopleDie

pic.twitter.com/7VuNwDB6Aa

— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) April 23, 2020

JUST NOW: The People’s Motorcade totally surrounds Trump Hotel with and drops body bags because of #TrumpCOVIDFails #TrumpFailure#TrumpChaos pic.twitter.com/O51qTXBVGi

— Jess Morales Rocketto (@JessLivMo) April 23, 2020

Demonstrators taking part in a “People’s Motorcade” stop at the Trump International Hotel to deliver fake body bags during a protest against the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, DC

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds pic.twitter.com/GK1rtuyh8X

— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 24, 2020

Those who joined in the protest were careful about social distancing, with most people staying in their cars and speeches taking place over the Zoom video conferencing platform rather than on a stage.

The protest was organized in part by the Center for Popular Democracy, according to The Washington Post. 

The group’s senior director of mobilization and advocacy, Jennifer Flynn Walker, told The Post the demonstrators are “angry at Trump, but mostly we’re trying to save the lives of our neighbors and our friends.”