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Nikolas Liepins

A protestor holds a pro-Trump flag as vehicles surround the Minnesota State Capitol in protest of Gov. Tim Walz's efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. May 2, 2020.

Blaring horns and donning firearms, pro-Trump protesters of all ages surrounded the Minnesota State Capitol as part of Operation Gridlock, a nationwide movement against stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders. Seeming to call for an end to all measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic in Minnesota, the participants of the May 2 demonstration spoke to an empty building as most Capitol employees now work from home.

Though protesting safety measures against coronavirus, which some view as a hoax, most demonstrators protested from their vehicles. Their demonstration created a traffic stalemate around the Capitol and its immediate surroundings, putting many hospitals — including Regions, Gillette Children’s, and Bethesda — at risk of becoming inaccessible. In response, healthcare workers mobilized in counter-protest to keep hospital entrances clear.