Up to 250 Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers will be activated to assist in providing security for President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa on Saturday.
Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin stated that the troops will be used as a “force multiplier” to secure safety zones near the BOK Center, where the rally is scheduled to be held. Local and federal law enforcement agencies also will help provide security for the event.
Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Geoff Legler said the troops will be unarmed and carry shields and batons as well as pepper spray.
President Trump has repeatedly dismissed demands to cancel the rally over Chinese coronavirus concerns, though he did push the event back from falling on Juneteenth.
“The Far Left Fake News Media, which had no Covid problem with the Rioters and Looters destroying Democrat run cities, is trying to Covid Shame us on our big Rallies,” the president tweeted. “Won’t work!”
President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign said Monday that attendees of the president’s rally will be given temperature checks, face masks, and hand sanitizer as a health precaution.
“The campaign takes the health and safety of rally-goers seriously and is taking precautions to make the rally safe,” Erin Perrine, deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said in a statement. “Every single rally goer will have their temperature checked, be provided a face mask and hand sanitizer. We are also taking precautions to keep rally-goers safe in the Oklahoma heat — including providing water bottles to keep people hydrated.”
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