Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Monday that the Oklahoma National Guard and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol have been authorized to provide support as needed after protests over the weekend became violent and destructive in downtown Oklahoma City.
A curfew was implemented for downtown Oklahoma City between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
According to KWTV in Oklahoma City, Stitt released the following statement:
“Yesterday’s demonstrations contained many powerful moments of Oklahomans coming together to make their voices heard and express their First Amendment rights safely. As many of the leaders of yesterday’s events have echoed, things started to change after the organized demonstration ended. I will continue to stand with Oklahomans who choose to peacefully demonstrate, but we cannot stand for violence or damage to property.”
“At the request of local communities, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the National Guard have been authorized to provide support as needed. These hardworking Oklahomans are our friends and neighbors who step up in times of need, including to protect peaceful demonstrators. Violence and damage to property goes against the Oklahoma Standard and is a distraction designed to keep us from uniting together to change for the better.”
