简体中文
Governor of the U.S. state of Washington Jay Inslee said Sunday that group protests and radical speeches will not determine the course of the state's COVID-19 battle.
"I support free speech. But crowd counts or speeches won't determine our course. This isn't about politics. It can only be about doing what is best for the health of all Washingtonians," said Inslee in a statement.
"Comments in the news today by some Republican legislators calling for 'open rebellion,' claiming a 'deep state' plot and other radical statements are irresponsible and could needlessly lead to more people getting sick. I hope Republican legislative leaders will speak out against such rhetoric from their members," he added.
More than 2,000 demonstrators gathered at the Washington state capitol on Sunday to urge the state government to lift the stay-at-home order which was put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
The protest echoed similar demonstrations held around the nation, highlighting the partisan divide in how citizens perceive the virus, while polling shows broad support for stay-at-home orders, according to a Seattle Times report.
"These are difficult and frustrating times. I understand the urgency of this crisis. However, this is not the time to halt the progress we have made. I encourage everyone in our state to stay home, stay healthy and, if you need to go out, practice adequate physical distancing," said Inslee.
The stay-at-home order implemented in Washington state is now scheduled through May 4, with the possibility of an extension.
File Photo: Jay Inslee, governor of Washington State, speaks at the launching ceremony of the Global Innovation Exchange (GIX) Institute in Seattle on June 18, 2015. (Xinhua/He Xianfeng)
