Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo apologized for violating her own safety rules by addressing demonstrators without wearing a mask over the weekend.
Raimondo told the Providence Journal in a statement that things were "tense and hectic'' Friday night at the State House as the number of protesters swelled to at least 10,000. She said she simply forgot to bring a face mask when she went outside to speak.
"That was wrong. It was counter to our public health guidance, and I apologize," she said.
Republican state Rep. Bobby Nardolillo didn't let the misstep go unnoticed. On Twitter, he called the Democractic governor's behavior "reckless,'' and encouraged her to quarantine for 14 days.
In a press conference just under two weeks ago, Raimondo urged residents to make masks part of the daily routine.
"I’m asking you to just make it a part of your life," Raimondo said. "You wouldn’t think of leaving your house without your purse, your wallet, your phone or your keys, so do the same with your mask."
Protests have been ongoing throughout the U.S. following George Floyd's death. Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on Floyd's neck while he was handcuffed on the ground until he stopped breathing.
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