A private association is putting out a call for volunteers, armed or unarmed, to provide outdoor security for Trump supporters traveling to the president’s campaign rally Friday night in Tupelo, Mississippi.
The group “
Oath Keepers,” which calls itself nonpartisan, said in a notice on its website that it needs help “keeping the rally attendees safe” after a recent Trump rally in Minneapolis at which some of the president’s supporters were harassed and assaulted on their way to and from the arena.
“We generally use both armed and unarmed volunteers in our security operations, so if you have a CCW [carrying a concealed weapon permit] valid in Mississippi, that may be very useful,” the group’s statement says. “If you don’t, please volunteer anyway since we will also have a role for unarmed volunteers.”
Local and state law enforcement agencies, and the Secret Service, coordinate in providing heavy security at presidential campaign rallies.
Oath Keepers said it is not affiliated with the Trump campaign but has protected rally-goers at three other Trump events this year in New Mexico, Minneapolis and Dallas. The association has former police and ex-military personnel among its membership, and says it’s needed to protect citizens from street violence by antifa and other leftist groups.
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