Trump's economic advisor Stephen Moore doubles down on his claim protesters are 'modern-day Rosa Parks' - as he warns tens of thousands will be on the streets in a week and 50million unemployed if lockdown goes on beyond May 1

President Trump's economic adviser Stephen Moore has doubled down on his claims that those protesting coronavirus social distancing restrictions are following in the footsteps of civil rights hero Rosa Parks. 

Mr Moore, speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, said: 'What I'm saying to people is be a hero here and take on the mantle of injustice, as Rosa Park so heroically did back in the 1950s.'  

He added that by next week there would be 'tens of thousands' of protesters on the streets and that if the lockdown continues past May 1st, the economy would be 'devastated' and 50million people could be left unemployed. 

The protests against the lockdown have gathered momentum across the United States and on Monday crowds gathered close to one another in North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California, calling for their 'liberty'. 

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Among them were armed militia groups, who protested alongside young families and Americans out of work. All called for businesses to be re-opened. 

On Sunday, Mr Moore told the Washington Post that the protesters were 'modern-day Rosa Parks' because they were 'protesting against injustice and a loss of liberties.

President Trump's economic adviser Stephen Moore has doubled down on claims that those protesting coronavirus social distancing restrictions are following in the footsteps of civil rights hero Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks was an African-American civil rights icon who famously refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, public bus to a white man in 1955 – a time when the Deep South was segregated by race.

Parks was arrested by authorities for her act of civil disobedience, which ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a crucial turning point in the civil rights movement.

And despite his comments sparking outrage online, the conservative economist doubled down on his comments on Tuesday. 

He told the BBC: 'I think Rosa Parks is truly one of our great national leaders. 

'What I'm saying to people is be a hero here and take on the mantle of injustice, as Rosa Park so heroically did back in the 1950s.'

Speaking of his own experience where he lives in Maryland, Mr Moore had highlighted the example of people not being allowed to play golf on their own as evidence of the lockdown going 'out of control'.  

But he was then told by interviewer Nick Robinson that it was 'offensive' to compare the lockdown protesters with Ms Parks's fight against racism, because she 'wasn't fighting for the right to play golf on her own.' 

However, Mr Moore added: 'I was just using the golf as an example. What I'm talking about is people losing their basic right to make a living. 

'To have the Government shut down their businesses, it's an extraordinary power grab by Government and people are fed up with it. And it is in the American tradition to take to the streets peacefully.'

Mr Moore, who was recently named to a White House task force assigned with examining ways to reopen the economy, went on to say that by next week, there could be 'tens of thousands' of protesters on the streets.  

'I do think though if you talk to me in a week you are going to see tens of thousands and more. 

He added that if restrictions continue past May 1st, the cost to the economy and society would be far worse than the lockdown itself.  

'It's spreading very rapidly, and one of the points I made as an economist is that we can't go past May 1st. 

'If we go past May 1st we are going to so devastate our economy, that the costs of having our economy and our society shut down will be multiples greater than the threat of this virus. 

'We are going to see 50million people unemployed, we are going to see the poverty rates quadruple in this country. 

'And the least among us, the poorest people are the people being hurt the most. Minorities are being hurt the most, disabled people are being hurt the most.' 

His comments come after he made similar during a video conference chat posted online by the libertarian think tank Independence Institute.

He said in the chat which was posted online last Tuesday that he was helping organize a 'drive-in' protest in Wisconsin, where the Democratic governor, Tony Evers, extended statewide stay-at-home orders until May 26.

'They're going to shut down the Capitol. Shh. Don't tell anybody,' Moore said of the protesters.

'This is a great time for civil disobedience.

'We need to be the Rosa Parks here and protest against these government injustices.' 

In North Dakota on Monday, upset protesters swarmed the capitol building while carrying 'Don't Tread on Me' flags and signs that called for freedom.  

Alexis Wangler is a member of Health Freedom North Dakota, the group who organized the protest, said she agreed to fight stay-at-home orders as a way to exercise the First Amendment,

She told Grand Forks Herald: 'We want to exercise our First Amendment rights — our freedom of speech and freedom to assemble — and not have that limited by government.

'I would say that all across the nation, the executive orders have been violating people's rights.'  

She added that she believes 'all businesses are essential and all livelihoods are essential'.

'That's why I said to a couple of different people, 'do we want to say anything about this?''

In Ohio, a local militia group brandishing firearms and wearing face coverings stood outside the Ohio State House in Columbus.

People waved Trump 2020 flags and held signs that read 'Open Ohio' as they implored lawmakers to loosen restrictions.  

Hundreds of people also gathered to protest the lockdown in spite of shelter-in-place rules still being in effect at the state capitol building in Sacramento, California. 

Some intentionally jammed roads while honking and holding out signs while others disrespected social distancing rules by gathering in close proximity, blaring music and shouting to end the lockdown. 

In Pennsylvania , protesters gathered to fight stay-at-home orders while Facebook faced backlash for reportedly colluding with state governments to stop anti-lockdown protests. 

'Unless government prohibits the event during this time, we allow it to be organized on Facebook. 

For this same reason, events that defy government's guidance on social distancing aren't allowed on Facebook,' a spokesperson said on the social network's policy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Facebook officials said they reached out to states individually to understand their lockdown orders then removed posts that violated those rules.  

'We reached out to state officials to understand the scope of their orders, not about removing specific protests on Facebook. We remove the posts when gatherings do not follow the health parameters established by the government and are therefore unlawful,' a company spokesperson said to DailyMail.com. 

The death toll in the U.S. stood at more than 40,000 Monday evening — the highest in the world — with over 800,000 confirmed infections. 

The true figures are believed to be much higher, in part because of limited testing and difficulties in counting the dead.