(Washington) COVID Curfews – 19 in Florida, demonstrations against racism: the United States celebrated their national holiday on Saturday in a unique atmosphere and a tense climate.
Posted on July 4 2020 at 12 h 01
Camille CAMDESSUS
France Media Agency
The July 4 festivities, traditionally marked by parades, marching bands, barbecues and large fireworks in a friendly atmosphere have been revised downward across the country.
A “tribute to America” will still be paid by President Donald Trump in the federal capital of Washington, from 18 h 40.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the National Mall, the huge esplanade where official museums and monuments stand and its surroundings will remain open and accessible to the public for a fireworks display announced as “monumental”.
An air parade of Second World War aircraft and a Blue Angels patrol show are expected, in a blazing sun.
For the occasion, the administration says it has planned the distribution of 300 000 masks.
Donald Trump will speak from the White House at a ceremony to which Americans have been invited “on the front line” in the face of the pandemic, in particular from the health sector, but also from the police force and the army.
“Social distancing will be observed and masks and hand sanitizers will be distributed,” White House spokeswoman Judd Deere told AFP.
Much of the city center was already cordoned off in the morning, AFP noted.
But the Independence Day celebrations, when in 1776 thirteen British colonies proclaimed their separation from the British crown and founded the United United States, may this year have a bitter taste.
The country most grieving by the coronavirus pandemic, America has also been animated since the death of the African-American George Floyd, by a historic movement against racism, comparable to the civil rights movement of the years 60.
Across the country, rallies are scheduled for justice, racial equality and against the Trump government.
In Washington, around twenty collectives called to demonstrate, especially in front of the monument in memory of Abraham Lincoln, from which Martin Luther King had given his speech “I have a dream”, in 1963.
Nashville without fireworks
Democratic presidential candidate in November, Joe Biden called in a video message to unite to overcome “over 200 years of systemic racism ”.
“Our country was founded on an idea, that we are all born equal. We have never lived up to this idea, “said former Barack Obama vice president.
Donald Trump, who is running for a second term, denounced Friday evening in a very dark speech “violent disorder” on the streets, and “years of extreme indoctrination in education, journalism and others cultural institutions. “
In the midst of a debate on the statues brought down by anti-racist demonstrators, he denounced, since the imposing monument of Mount Rushmore, “a campaign aimed at erasing our history, defaming our heroes, suppressing our values and indoctrinating our children ”.
In his speech, the stormy billionaire only briefly touched on the pandemic which caused almost 130 000 dead on American soil.
In stark contrast to Europe, contamination records are broken daily in the United States.
Given the scale of the health crisis, the mayor of the county of Miami-Wade, the most populous in the country with nearly 2.7 million inhabitants, on Friday decreed a curfew starting from 22 h local.
It “is intended to prevent people from going out and hanging out with friends in groups, which has proven to be a factor in the rapid spread of the virus,” said Carlos Gimenez.
In Atlanta, Nashville, concerts or fireworks have been canceled.
A virtual ceremony replaces the celebrations planned for the Texan city of Houston, home of the epidemic in the great state of the South.