President Donald Trump sent out a warning ahead of his campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to all “anarchists” and those that wish to disrupt the event. An apparent threat that outside groups may be planning to cause “unrest” at the scene prompted an emergency order from the mayor.
What We Know:
- The president’s tweet comes after Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, a Republican, declared a civil emergency and announced a curfew near the arena where Trump plans to hold a campaign rally on Saturday.
Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2020
- Bynum, in his order, said “in the interest of national security,” he would establish a “federal exclusion zone” in the vicinity of the rally.
- Bynum cited recent “civil unrest,” expected “crowds in excess of 100,000” in the vicinity of the rally and opposition protests in his decision to place a federal exclusion zone for a six-block radius near the arena.
- Due to the threat and related factors, Bynum imposed a curfew in the vicinity of the rally from late Thursday night to 6 a.m. on Saturday and from the conclusion of the rally Saturday night until 6 a.m. on Sunday.
- Meanwhile, the BOK Center asked the Trump campaign for a written plan outlining how it will incorporate social distancing and other “health and safety” steps, citing an uptick in coronavirus cases. The arena, which can hold up to 20,000 people, had Trump supporters lining up outside for days ahead of the rally.
According to the Trump campaign, more than 1 million people have registered online for the first-come-first-serve rally. Those supporters were required to sign a waiver releasing.
