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Cuomo: Peaceful protesters should remember COVID-19 is still a threat

During his daily briefing, Cuomo reminded New Yorkers who plan on peacefully protesting to remember to wear a mask and to be smart.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State has the lowest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and the lowest number of daily deaths since the coronavirus pandemic started. Governor Andrew Cuomo reports that 49 New Yorkers died from COVID-19 on Tuesday; 37 in hospitals and 12 in nursing homes.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says COVID-19 is still a real threat. During his daily briefing, Cuomo reminded New Yorkers who plan on peacefully protesting to remember to wear a mask and to be smart. 

While on the topic of protests, the governor said that two separate situations are going on in New York State and in the U.S. One is protesting and the other is looting. 

Cuomo says the protesting is righteous indignation over George Floyd's murder and systemic racism and injustice, and he thinks the protesters are right. The governor went on to say that looting is criminal behavior designed to create chaos and violence demeans the message of the protests.

"We're not going to allow the looting we've seen on video tapes, the chaos that we've seen," Cuomo said.

Cuomo saying people are trying to exploit this moment for their own selfish purposes and New York State needs to maintain order. He added that police must be empowered and supported to keep order to stop the looting, chaos and criminal activity. 

Cuomo says New Yorkers need to remember what made New York successful during the pandemic, reminding New Yorkers that COVID-19 was "the beast" that we didn't know if we could beat. 

"We've overcome the greatest challenge that this state has faced in my lifetime with this COVID virus," Cuomo said.

He added, "We have to stay smart to make sure we control the beast."

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