What is driving anti-lockdown protests in the United States?

As the current epicenter of the global COVID-19 crisis, with a death toll surpassing 40,000, the United States is witnessing an anti-lockdown movement in many states, including in Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia, California, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Maryland and Utah. Hundreds of protesters demanded an immediate end to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, claiming their rights have been violated by the restrictions imposed by state governments.

These protesters account for a very small portion of the American population, and yet with US President Donald Trump's explicit support as demonstrated in his "LIBERATE" tweets, the protests have been spreading.

Although President Trump claimed that his plan to reopen the US economy soon was both for the lives and the future of the country, his fomenting of anti-lockdown protests especially in states with Democrat governors lays bare his intention to play to his political base by discrediting the rival party. Trump's move could be extremely dangerous as it would certainly undermine the nation's unity in its fight against the COVID-19 and emboldening the far-right forces that are anti-local governments.

First and foremost, the protests against the stay-at-home orders were driven by the economic hardships experienced by ordinary Americans that have suffered tremendously from the lockdown.

Despite the financial relief programs launched by the US government, with the non-essential businesses remaining closed in most states, ordinary Americans, especially the impoverished population, have been heavily stricken by the pandemic.

According to the US Department of Labor, about 22 million Americans have filed unemployment claims since March 14. In a nation where 40 percent of the people cannot afford a 400-U.S.-dollar emergency, unemployment can threaten their livelihood. Out of the dire need of job opportunities to ease their financial difficulties, many protesters rallied to urge the government to lift the restrictions.

Emphasis on individual freedom and distrust of the government are also important incentives of the protests. Americans are very proud of the American Creeds of individualism and anti-Statism, believing these values are what has made the United States prosperous and "exceptional." Many anti-lockdown protests appeared under the banner of defending the American Creed.

For example, the "March for Freedom" of California is framed as an event for "freedom and liberty," and the protesters in the "Operation Gridlock" of Maryland wrote statement such as "Live Free or Die." People were skeptical of the government's overreaching power. They were afraid of leaving it unchecked and allowing it to infringe upon individual freedom.

However, the seemingly spontaneous protests are also fueled and sponsored by certain far-right conservatives behind the scenes. According to the Washington Post, some far-right and pro-gun provocateurs have been using Facebook groups to provoke people's anger towards the stay-at-home orders and brought about the offline rallies.

As The New York Times pointed out, the anti-quarantine protest was just a donor-funded and twisted liberty movement by the far-right.

With disinformation and propaganda spread by ultra-right media such as Fox News and Infowars, the far-right groups and militias in the United States are taking advantage of people's suffering and frustration during the pandemic, fueling the American Creeds of individualism and anti-Statism into anti-governmental extremism in order to further expand their own power and influence.

Under this circumstance, President Trump's siding with the protesters could be extremely dangerous.

On the one hand, instead of providing much-needed leadership to the nation's battle against the COVID-19 crisis to ease the panic among citizens, his support for the protesters and criticism against Democrats will only serve to undermine the unity of the nation in fighting the crisis together, intensify the conflicts between the two parties and widening the divergence between the state and the federal governments over certain issues.

On the other hand, Trump's support for the protesters could be seen as endorsing the anti-governmental far-right. Since the far-right have already been framing their narratives through the denial of the COVID-19 crisis and conspiracy theories, President Trump should be more cautious of the potential threats his words and moves may bring about. The message he has let out could be seen as an encouragement to break local executive orders and defy state authorities, which exactly fits into the agenda of far-right groups and will subsequently prompt the rising of anti-governmental extremism and tear the nation further apart.