Protesters burn masks to protest against COVID-19 safety guidelines outside Idaho state Capitol in US

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Idaho state Capitol building in Boise on Saturday (local time) to burn masks as a mark of protest against the Covid-19 safety guidelines issued by the local authorities.

"A couple hundred people, including lieutenant gov and at least three lawmakers at today's mask burning protest in Boise," posted a Twitter user.

https://twitter.com/HDruzin/status/1368251012553740289

Some of the protesters were seen with placards: "I will not self-suffocate".

The Hill quoted Darr Moon, one of the event's orgsers and husband of Idaho state Rep. Dorothy Moon, informing Oregon Public Broadcasting that the demonstration was a "rally," rather than a "protest."

"It's important and I think people need to realize that we're standing here today to reign back government, to reestablish our Republican form of government, a government that has balance between the branches," Darr Moon said.

"We're kind of that belief that we need well-defined government and certain boundaries, and that's not what we have today," he added.

Recently, Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Tate Reeves of Mississippi had announced their decisions to relax COVID-19 restrictions.

However, these decisions were called as "Neanderthal thinking" by President Joe Biden.

"Texas -- I think it's a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody has realized by now: These masks make a difference," he said.

He further said, "We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we're able to get vaccines in people's arms. We've been able to move that all the way up to the end of May to have enough for every American to get -- every adult American to get a shot. And the last thing -- the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that, in the meantime, everything is fine, take off your mask."

While reiterating the necessity of wearing masks, the President said, "It's critical - critical, critical, critical - that they follow the science: Wash your hands, hot water, do it frequently. Wear a mask and stay socially distanced. And I know you all know that. I wish the heck some of our elected officials knew it".

According to the latest update by the Johns Hopkins University, the US has recorded 28,946,518 COVID-19 cases and 524,172 deaths so far.

( With inputs from ANI )