Tulsa mayor sets curfew ahead of Trump rally fearing unrest
Mayor G.T. Bynum mandates that anyone found in violation of the curfew will be jailed or cited
G.T. Bynum, Mayor of Tulsa, has set a city-wide curfew ahead of a scheduled campaign appearance by President Donald Trump in his city tomorrow, June 20.
G.T. Bynum, Mayor of Tulsa, has set a city-wide curfew ahead of a scheduled campaign appearance by President Donald Trump in his city tomorrow, June 20.
The mayor has declared a “civil emergency” ahead of the event out of concern for potential protests in his city.
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“I have received information from the Tulsa Police Department and other law enforcement agencies that shows that individuals from organized groups who have been involved in destructive and violent behavior in other States are planning to travel to the city of Tulsa for purposes of causing unrest in and around the rally,” Bynum wrote in the executive order, according to Tulsa World.
The order institutes a 10 P.M. curfew across the city but excludes Saturday’s rally saying that the curfew will begin when the event ends.
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The curfew forbids people from “loitering” near the BOK Arena where the event is being held. It also bans flammable and explosive liquids.
People found in violation of the curfew will be jailed or cited.
The campaign event will mark the first since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The indoor rally is expected to draw tens of thousands of people, both supporters and detractors of the president.
The Trump campaign has stated that they will take the temperature of each person as they enter the arena and that they will provide masks and hand sanitizer. They have also said that they will not require attendees to wear a face covering.
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The president himself has shown disdain for wearing masks and said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he thinks some people are still wearing masks as a “symbol of disapproval” of him.
Coronavirus cases in Tulsa are on the rise ahead of the rally. This week’s numbers are the highest in the state thus far with a 5.1% increase in new cases and two deaths.
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