Angry Trump supporters are nothing new, but the fervor with which some of them are trying to defend the madness of opening areas which have no business opening is still something to see. Parts of Long Island are among the worst hit areas in the country.
Source: Newsweek
Kevin Vesey, a reporter with News 12 Long Island, was surrounded by anti-lockdown protesters during a reopening rally in Commack yesterday. The protesters chanted "fake news is not essential" at him and flouted social distancing guidelines.
This marks the second reopening rally in the last two weeks to have taken place in Suffolk County, New York, on Jericho Turnpike. Yesterday, hundreds of people turned out for the event, organized by a pro-Trump group named the Setauket Patriots. The demonstration claimed to give a voice to those who are struggling financially under New York's lockdown measures, in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Vesey's presence at the event was not welcomed.
"Why are you essential?" shouted one protester through a megaphone at Vesey before the reporter turned the camera on himself and said: "There's clearly a lot of anger here today". Vesey is wearing what appears to be a surgical face mask in one video and quickly becomes uncomfortable as protestors approach him.
"Can you please stay away from me sir," said Vesey to another protestor. Police were present at the event and according to Vesey spoke to protesters about social distancing.
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"You have people calling us murderers," shouts one protester in the footage."You are the enemy of the people," shouts another in the background.
"Nobody ever painted you as murderers," Vesey responds.
"F**k you, you guys are f**king fake news," said another protester.
"I'll probably never forget what happened today," wrote Vesey on his Twitter account later in the day. "I was insulted. I was berated. I was practically chased by people who refused to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic. All the while, I was there to tell THEIR story."
Vesey tweeted this morning about his horrible experience yesterday, thanking those who voiced their support.
