AP: Michigan militia puts armed protest in the spotlight

Gun-carrying protesters have been a common sight at some demonstrations calling for coronavirus-related restrictions to be lifted.

But an armed militia's involvement in an angry protest in the Michigan statehouse Thursday marked an escalation that drew condemnation and shone a spotlight on the practice of bringing weapons to protest, the Associated Press reports

For some observers, the images of armed men in tactical gear at a state Capitol were an unsettling symbol of rising tensions in a nation grappling with crisis.

Others saw evidence of racial bias in the way the protesters were treated by police.