TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa's mayor rescinded his curfew order Friday, but he kept a secure zone around the BOK Center at the request of the U.S. Secret Service.
The arena will welcome thousands of President Donald Trump's supporters, some of whom have camped out for several days for the chance to hear him speak Saturday at his first campaign rally since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S.
Throughout the day Friday, visitors and residents alike felt the energy of a Trump rally on the streets of downtown Tulsa.
As the anticipation builds among supporters. crews finished putting together two stages next to the BOK Center, where Turmp is expected to speak for at least an hour on Saturday.
"We’re all here as Americans to lift up our president, help our country, lift our country," Trump supporter Rudy Campos said.
Campos and his wife drove eight hours from San Antonio for the weekend.
"This is part of history," he said. "It’s what we need right now. There's a lot of negativity going on in the world right now. Why not?"
Campos is among the supporters attending the rally who've signed a waiver in case they're exposed to COVID-19.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Friday that the arena is not legally obligated to enforce social distancing or masks.
Nonetheless, Aaron Williams, who made the trip from Norman, Oklahoma, for the event, plans to wear his mask during the campaign rally.
"I think if anyone wears a mask, like you're wearing and does this right here, and has a little hand bottle of sanitizer, I think it'd be all right," Williams said.
The Trump campaign has said they will be doing temperature checks, providing hand sanitizer and masks, but no one will be required to wear one.
"We're here by choice," Dolly Campbell, another Trump supporter, said. "We know the risks. We know what could happen."
Campbell and her family, who are visiting from Oklahoma City, will camp out another night for what she describes as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"The climate that our country is in right now, I feel like there's no better way to bring unity than to show up and support one another, and that includes any protests," Campbell said. "Just show support and show love and respect everybody."
With more than 100,000 people expected to descend Saturday on downtown Tulsa, Gov. Kevin Stitt has activated the Oklahoma National Guard ahead of the rally to assist local law enforcement.
