Gov. Stitt Activates Okla. National Guard As Precaution At The State Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY – 

Gov. Kevin Stitt activated the Oklahoma National Guard on Friday to help local law enforcement at the state Capitol.

Stitt said the activation of more than 75 members of the guard is out of an abundance of caution should any protests at the state Capitol, or other locations, turn violent.

“I support the right for Oklahomans to peacefully demonstrate, but we will not tolerate violence or damage to property,” Stitt said in a news release. “At the request of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the National Guard has been authorized to provide support as needed. These hardworking Oklahomans are our friends and neighbors who step up in times of need. Any violence and damage to property goes against the Oklahoma Standard and is a distraction designed to keep us from uniting together.”

The guardsmen will be activated from Saturday, Jan. 16, to Thursday, Jan. 21.

State officials said no specific or credible threats have been identified in Oklahoma, but increased safety measures are being taken in a proactive response to intelligence shared by the FBI regarding statehouse buildings across the country.

“The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma National Guard have trained together to be prepared for the type of events that may be happening over the next week,” DPS Commissioner John Scully said in a news release. “Cooperation with our partners is essential and we appreciate the collaboration within the law enforcement and military community. Our goal is to protect peaceful demonstrators while also protecting lives and preventing the destruction of property.”