Whitmer says protesters’ ‘irresponsible actions’ can lead to extension of stay-at-home orders

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on Thursday night said the protests that took place in her state Wednesday demanding an end to her stay-at-home order could result in an extension of social distancing measures like it. 

Whitmer, during an interview with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, said that the protests are the “kind of irresponsible action that puts us in this situation where we might have to actually think about extending stay-at-home orders, which is supposedly what they are protesting.”

WATCH: Gov. Whitmer tells @Maddow that Wednesday’s protest at Michigan’s Capitol is the “kind of irresponsible action that puts us in this situation where we might have to actually think about extending stay-at-home orders, which is supposedly what they protesting.” pic.twitter.com/WxVtTVEeia

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 17, 2020

Protesters, led by the Michigan Conservative Coalition, stormed the Michigan Capitol on Wednesday demanding an end to the stay-at-home order, which they claimed was infringing on their personal liberties.

Whitmer said that kind of behavior could result in a resurgence of the disease, which has hit her state particularly hard. As of Thursday evening, Michigan has reported 29,263 cases and 2,093 deaths.

“The thing that I’m concerned most about, and that I think my fellow governors are as well, is a resurgence,” Whitmer said.

“When you see a political rally — that’s what it was yesterday — a political rally where people aren’t wearing masks and they’re in close quarters and they’re touching one another, you know that that’s precisely what makes this kind of disease drag out and expose more people.”