US faces the great divide on reopening

A divided nation

From start of lockdowns, several states－almost all run by Democratic governors－have come under fire from Trump, business groups and protesters who have showed up at state capitols demanding the restrictions end.

Trump urged governors to reopen by May 1, and tweeted that citizens should "liberate" states whose leaders have ordered people to stay home.

Last month, demonstrations against lockdowns were staged at state capitols in at least six states.

The most-fervent protests have arguably been in Michigan, where multiple rallies have been held against social distancing policies introduced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat.

In a demonstration on April 30, some protesters with guns－which are allowed in the statehouse－moved inside the building and went to the Senate gallery, where one senator said some armed men shouted at her, and that some senators wore bulletproof vests. The protesters held signs stating "No work no freedom" and "Tyrants get the rope".

Trump encouraged protesters in Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia who violated stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines to march against Democratic governors.

On April 17, he tweeted: "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" "LIBERATE MINNESOTA." "LIBERATE VIRGINIA."

Protesters also received a boost from US Attorney General William Barr, who described some stay-at-home orders as "burdens on civil liberties" and said that if they continued and lawsuits were brought, his department would side against a state.

"The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest. I'm not saying it wasn't justified. I'm not saying in some places it might still be justified. But it's very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood," Barr said in a radio interview.

Trump continues to back protesters. On Monday, he gave his support to Republican officials in about half a dozen Pennsylvania counties who said they would ignore Governor Tom Wolf's phased reopening plan and reopen their counties ahead of the state's schedule. Wolf, a Democrat, has said counties that defy his order could face consequences.

Trump tweeted, "The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now, and they are fully aware of what that entails." He also said that more Democrats were seeking political advantage in an election year by reopening their states slowly. In 2016, the president won Pennsylvania, a key swing state, by just 44,000 votes.

On Monday, Trump tweeted his support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is restarting his assembly plant in Fremont, California, amid the pandemic, despite not receiving approval from local government officials.

Tesla has sued the county health department, seeking to overturn its order, and Musk has threatened to move the company's manufacturing operations and headquarters from the state.

As for the two drive-in theaters reopening in Rhode Island－the Rustic and the Misquamicut－they are taking precautions to prevent the virus spreading.

Face masks must be worn at all times when outside a vehicle, and concession stand orders can now be phoned in. Cars will be socially distanced, so that anyone leaving a vehicle will not come within 6 feet (1.82 meters) of someone else in an adjacent car exiting theirs.

The Misquamicut charges $27 per vehicle load, and historically there has been no limit on the number of people per car. There is no word yet on whether such a number will be regulated in light of the pandemic, or if a car's occupants have to be from the same family or live together.

The theater, which is showing Jaws this weekend, has already sold out Friday and Saturday, according to its Facebook page. Next weekend, it is screening Jaws 2, and that is already a sellout.

Meanwhile, stay-at-home orders in Los Angeles County will,"with all certainty", be extended for the next three months, county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Zhao Huanxin in Washington and Teresa Liu in Los Angeles contributed to this story.