On Friday, New Mexicans gathered at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque to demand Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham open up the state and let working families return to work to provide for their families.
Annoyed by the peaceful demonstrators, Lujan Grisham shot out a ridiculing statement toward their rally, writing, “Mass gatherings are dangerous and in violation of the public health order. We want any New Mexican who is upset about the state’s efforts to limit illness and prevent mass death to find safe and non-dangerous ways to exercise their first amendment right to protest, one of many rights we are all grateful to have, none of which are infringed upon by the necessary actions the state has taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save the lives of New Mexicans. New Mexicans must continue to stay home in order to slow the spread of this incredibly contagious virus – there is no way to safely reopen the state without first doing so.”
But on Saturday, a far-left group, the “Party for Socialism and Liberation” had a protest of their own, demanding free rent and mortgage payments apparently from the government due to “the worst health crisis that we’ll ever experience in our generation.”
The socialist group of protesters had printed signs taped to their cars reading, “If we can’t work, we can’t pay rent or mortgage” with a link to “CancelTheRents.org.”
The demands were written on the website, “Cancel the Rents,” as follows:
1. A national cancellation of all rents, mortgages for homeowners, small landlords and small business, for the duration of the Pandemic.
2. No shutoff of gas, electricity and water utilities, the restoration of utilities for households that are currently shut off for lack of ability to pay, no accumulation of debt.
3. Eminent domain over vacant buildings, homes, hotels, all appropriate structures to house the homeless or people in precarious housing situations, including the undocumented and victims of domestic violence.
The protest by the fringe socialist group appears not to have caught the eye of Gov. Grisham who is a supporter of sanctuary cities and giving rights to criminal aliens, as the socialist group shares in common.
The Governor’s office could not be reached for comment on the Party for Socialism and Liberation protest, despite her office giving one regarding the pro-business protest on Friday.