Jun 2, 2020
From Governor Cuomo @ 7:13 PM on June 2:
We are witnessing a lot of events occurring simultaneously. It is easy to be confused. There are many who want to intentionally blur the lines between peaceful, legitimate protesters and looters. They want you to watch the videos of the looting — not the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered. Don't fall for it. Throughout the state we have seen peaceful protests that call for long-overdue change. As I have said — I stand in solidarity with the protesters. But separate and distinct from the peaceful protests there are criminals who are opportunistically using this situation for their own purposes. Criminal activity and looting must stop. Not only is it illegal — it distracts from the point of the protests.
This is a moment from which real positive change can emerge. I will not let it be blurred by those who seek civil disorder.
Photo of the Day: Last night, the Empire State Building went dark to recognize the murder of George Floyd and other victims of injustice
(Photo by Jonathan Colton)
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. New York is proceeding with reopening. Western New York entered Phase 2 of reopening today. The Capital Region has been cleared by international experts to enter Phase 2 tomorrow, June 3rd, and New York City is still on track to enter Phase 1 on June 8th.
2. Summer day camps statewide can open on June 29th. The state will make a decision on sleep-away camps in the coming weeks.
3. Additional low-risk outdoor recreational activities can resume in some parts of the state. I issued an Executive Order allowing low-risk, outdoor recreational activities and businesses providing such activities to open in regions that have met the public health and safety metrics required for Phase 1. These include tennis, non-motorized boat use and rentals (such as kayaks and rowboats), and golf and driving ranges.
4. The total number of COVID hospitalizations continues its steady decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 3,121, from 3,331 the day before. Yesterday, we had 154 new COVID hospitalizations. Tragically we lost 58 New Yorkers to the virus.
5. A reminder to take precautions against COVID-19 if protesting. There are simple steps that can be taken to help reduce the spread of coronavirus: Wear a mask (and gloves if you have them), bring sanitizer and keep to smaller groups.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": The South Korean government sent 10,000 masks and other personal protective equipment to members of the Navajo nation to honor their service during the Korean War. During the war, 800 members of the Navajo nation served as "code talkers," using their native language (Navajo) to send coded radio messages to allies. Around 130 of the "code talkers" are still alive today.
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