Tulsa police remove protester in ‘I Can’t Breathe’ T-shirt from Trump campaign rally for trespassing
A Black Lives Matter activist has been removed from Donald Trump’s campaign event in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While the protester claimed to have a ticket to the event, police said letting people in was up to the organizers’ discretion.
A woman wearing a black T-shirt reading ‘I Can’t Breathe’ was removed from the grounds of the rally on Saturday.
The woman was sitting on the ground when police officers approached her and asked her to leave, footage from the scene shows. The protester said she had a ticket for the rally, yet she was promptly cuffed and led away.
"Somebody has to do this."A peaceful protester is arrested outside the location President Trump's rally will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/Nj23OgyOvX
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 20, 2020
The woman, identified as Sheila Buck, was removed from the rally at the request of the Trump campaign's staff, local police said in a statement.
👮♂️Arrest Made👮♂️This morning at 11:30 am Tulsa Police were requested by Trump Campaign Staff to remove an individual from the secure area of the rally.Tulsa Police spoke to the arrestee, Ms. Buck, for several minutes trying to convince her to leave on her own accord... pic.twitter.com/TWVAtpbm8e
— Tulsa Police (@TulsaPolice) June 20, 2020
The incident prompted an angry reaction online, with many flocking to the Tulsa Police Department’s social media pages to condemn their actions. Critics accused the officers of violating the protester’s First Amendment rights.
You don't seem familiar with the First Amendment. Maybe someone from a northern state could educate you idiots.
— jillian c. york ✊🏻 (@jilliancyork) June 20, 2020
Facing backlash, police had to further elaborate on the incident, explaining that the protester was in a “private event area” and it was the campaign staff's right to ask for people to be removed.
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