A protester in Illinois, holding a sign that welcomed Jews to the death camp in Auschwitz targeting Governor J B Pritzker, has sparked an uproar over the tone of the anti-lockdown protests. The protesters in downtown Chicago on Friday, May 1, asked the governor to lift the lockdown and reopen the state's economy.
The rally was held by a group called the Freedom Movement USA. The same group held a rally a week back for reopening of Illinois. People are asking the governor for a clear plan on reopening the state and getting people back to work as well.
Pritzker has extended the stay-at-home order till May 30. The protesters believe that the order is not to help the people, but for political reasons. Counter-protesters were also seen in the Thompson Center in Chicago arguing the need for the lockdown. The rally took place hours before the governor's daily briefing.
People were seen to be holding signs and raising slogans for the reopening of the state. Hundreds of protesters also gathered in the State Capitol in Springfield.
As protests are being held in several states, the signs from Illinois raised concerns and made a Twitter trend with several words related to Auschwitz concentration camp and Nazis popping up.
One of the placards read "work sets you free", which was written outside the camp in Auschwitz. The slight reference to the governor being a Jew is also referred to in the sign by the woman where she has written the letter "B" upside down.
Several such signs targeted Governor Pritzker, raising concerns about an emerging pattern. New York Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo recently tweeted about gatherings by the orthodox Jewish community in New York City.
Pritzker is also facing a backlash over his wife's travel which was not addressed by him when asked by a reporter during a press briefing.
