The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday ruled that President Donald Trump’s Saturday rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, can go ahead amid concerns about the CCP virus, while Trump said that a city-implemented curfew was lifted.
Bynum was also informed by law enforcement officials that “organized groups” were traveling to Tulsa “for the purposes of causing unrest in and around the rally.” These individuals “have been involved in destructive or violent behavior in other states,” he said.
Following the order, Trump warned on Twitter Friday that “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.”
The state’s Supreme Court rejected a request to require rally attendees to wear a face mask and engage in social distancing inside the Tulsa arena.
“Therefore, for lack of any mandatory language in the (plan), we are compelled to deny the relief requested,” the court wrote in an opinion, reported The Associated Press.
Following Tulsa mayor’s order, there were reports of people who were in line for the rally being forced out of the area by police.
Authorities told AP in a separate article that 250 Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers were activated ahead of the rally to provide security.
Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said the guardsmen will be used as a “force multiplier” to secure the BOK Center arena.