During an interview on SiriusXM’s “The Dean Obeidallah Show” on Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) said the protest at the state capitol in Lansing, MI, on Wednesday was “a political protest.

Obeidallah asked, “Why are people protesting your measures that are literally intended to keep Michiganders safe?”

Whitmer said, “Sadly, it was really a political protest–it was not necessarily about the policy. People said they would drive by and not get out of their cars and would practice the CDC safe— you know the guidelines. They congregated at the Capitol without masks standing close together. I saw an adult passing candy out to kids — bare hands to bare hands. These are people who came from all different parts of our state, congregated, and did all of the things we know put people in danger. And then they are going to go back to those rural parts of Michigan and possibly take COVID-19 with them. Or pick it up at a gas station as they filled up on way in or out of town. This is how COVID-19 spreads.”

She continued, “It was a definitely a political rally. I’ve not often seen a Confederate flag at the state capitol—and there were a few of them. There was someone who had signs that had a swastika on it. It was really a very political demonstration and rally. And It flies in the face of what we know we need to be doing to keep ourselves safe. They even lined up cars in front of a hospital and precluded an ambulance from being able to get in and out of the bay. You think about that clear image of them endangering other people.”

She added, “I think It’s very likely some of these people are going to get sick, and they are going to contribute to us having to continue in this stay home posture.”

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