“Knock It Off” Protest Organized Against Raimondo’s Coronavirus Policies, Facebook Sets Restrictions

A protest against Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo’s coronavirus policies has reportedly been organized for this coming Saturday, marking the latest in protests being scheduled across the country.

Now, Facebook has entered the debate and placed restrictions on posts on their social media platform.

The “Knock it Off” protest details were shared on the Facebook group “Rhode Islanders Against Excessive Quarantine.”

“Saturday, April 25th, 1 PM — State House Front Lawn,” stated one posting, which continues:

“Let’s come together and [unite] against a Governor who has killed our economy and our way of life. Enough is enough! It is time for us to come together and tell her to 'knock it off!'"

Protests have been sparked across a number of states.

"Facebook Inc. is banning posts and groups promoting anti-lockdown protests that don’t comply with government health directives, as organizers of those events seek to recruit new members on social media. Facebook groups, some with tens of thousands of members and some using near-identical language in their descriptions, have popped up in states like Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania. The groups raise concerns about what they see as overly restrictive orders imposed by state governors," reports the Wall Street Journal.

The Washington Post reports Tuesday morning, "Though large public gatherings may present a public health hazard, Facebook “should not be censoring political speech online,” Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, told Politico. 'This is especially true now, when questions of when and how to reopen the country are among the central political questions.'"

Scheduled Event Follows National Efforts

The event comes after President Donald Trump Tweeted his support for “liberate” events across the country opposed to governmental restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.

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