Getty Donald Trump and Anthony Fauci
A chant erupted during an April 18 lockdown protest in Texas calling for the firing of Anthony Fauci, immunologist and the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The chant “Fire Fauci” broke out during Austin’s “You Can’t Close America” protest. Fauci has become a figurehead in the fight against COVID-19 and he is part of the United States Coronavirus Task Force.
The New York Times’ Manny Fernandez shared the video on Twitter. Here is the clip:
Chant of “Fire Fauci!”
Dozens of Americans gathered outside Austin’s Capitol building on Saturday to protest the coronavirus lockdown in Texas.
Protesters Gathered in Droves to Reopen Texas
According to Fernandez, one protester who attended “You Can’t Close America” with her seven-year-old daughter said, “I’m not worried about catching the virus. If we did catch the virus, I feel that we’re healthy enough to fight it.” Both mother and daughter held signs that said, “Make things great again! Please open everything!” and “Bill Gates can keep his poison. I’m homeschooled. No mandatory vaccines!”
The journalist also shared a clip of protesters chanting “Let us work”:
Chant of “Let us work!”
Signs can be seen in the video that read, “Making a living is essential business #reopentexas,” “Vaccines known to cause seizures, encephalitis, autoimmunity,” “Enough” and “My choice.”
At the time of this writing, according to John Hopkins University & Medicine, Texas currently has 17,849 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 451 deaths. The United States leads the world in total cases. According to the university, there are a total of 2,317,759 confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and 159,510 deaths. The United States has a total of 732,197 confirmed cases and 38,664.
It is important to note, these are confirmed COVID-19 cases, and it does not include those who have not been tested for the coronavirus but may have the disease.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Announced He Is Targeting May to Start Reopening Texas Businesses
On Friday, Texas Governor Grey Abbott announced that he has assembled the Strike Force to Open Texas, which consists of economic and medical experts aiming to reopen the state. The governor said that on April 27, he will announce plans regarding the first businesses that will reopen in Texas.
During the Friday press conference, Gov. Abbot said:
Texans are battling a colossal challenge—an invisible enemy that has tested our lives and our livelihoods—but overcoming challenges is part of who we are as Texans. We have shown that Texas can continue our efforts to contain COVID-19 while also adopting safe standards that will allow us to begin the process of reopening Texas. The Strike Force to Open Texas brings together nationally recognized medical experts with public and private sector leaders to achieve this mission. By coming together, we can get Texans back to work, practice safe standards that will prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we can overcome this pandemic.
The governor confirmed that schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, CNN reported. James Huffines, the chairman of the Southerwestern Medical Foundation, has been tasked to lead The Strike Force to Open Texas.