Tulsa is expecting tens of thousands of Trump supporters for the president’s rally on Saturday. Thousands of protesters are expected as well. So, Tulsa’s mayor had instituted an overnight curfew to keep the two sides apart. But late Friday it appears the president stepped in.
CBS reports that the city says the Secret Service asked them to lift the curfew.
According to a Friday afternoon press release, the Secret Service requested the city to implement the curfew around the Federal Exclusion Zone near the BOK Center where Mr. Trump’s rally will be held — but then reversed course the next day.
“On Thursday, the Secret Service asked the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Police Department to put in place a curfew for the Federal Exclusion Zone near the BOK Center,” the city said in a press release. “Today, the Secret Service asked the City to lift the curfew order this weekend. In compliance with this request, the City has rescinded the order.”
This came after Mayor G.T. Bynum declared a “civil emergency.” According to the Washington Post though there were some questions about whether the curfew would impact people who have been sleeping outside in advance of the rally. Earlier the newspaper wrote:
“It’s unclear whether the Trump supporters who have camped out for days to secure a prime spot to see the president on Saturday will be cleared out as well, but some videos posted on social media appeared to show people leaving the area carrying tents and lawn chairs.”
Also today a court ruled against a group of residents that argued social distancing rules should be put in place at what they referred to as a “super spreader event.” as PBS reports, “The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request to require everyone attending President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa this weekend to wear a face mask and stay at least six feet apart from everyone else in the arena to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.”
Meanwhile earlier, Donald Trump tweeted what amounted to a threat to anyone protesting his visit:
“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!”
