Abbott deploys Texas National Guard, DPS troopers for "No Kings" protests; one organizer says "we are not intimidated"
Gov. Greg Abbott put the Texas National Guard and DPS troopers in place ahead of anti-Trump protests planned for Saturday. The protests coincide with a festival and parade in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Army, which falls on President Trump's 79th birthday.
Liam Kent said Saturday's scheduled "No Kings" protests are part day of action and part protest. Kent, 26, is the chairman of the Blue Anchor Project, a Democrat grassroots action group that is a partner of the "No Kings" protests. According to Kent, millions of people have signed on to protest at 2,000 locations across the U.S.
Kent said the goal of the protests is "to tell people that we do not put up with a tyrant as president. And what's happening right now is Donald Trump is overstepping his authority as president of the United States and trying to become a king."
City Hall in Dallas is one of the many places the group plans to demonstrate peacefully, Kent said.
The planned demonstration follows a protest earlier this week near the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, where one person was arrested.
The Dallas Police Department said in a statement that they "will not interfere with a lawful and peaceful assembly of any individuals or groups expressing their First Amendment rights."
"At demonstrations like this, participants will see our patrols as they always do at large events," the statement read. "Our main priority remains the safety of the people who live, work, and visit the city of Dallas."
Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Abbott added an layer of extra security that surprised city officials who said the Alamo City had never requested the Texas National Guard.
"There is freedom of speech. However, if in your protest you damage somebody's property or you harm an individual, that's violating the law and you will be arrested for it," Abbott said.
He would not reveal where he had deployed the National Guard. "As it concerns the exact tactics and things like that, we don't disclose those publicly," he said. "You will see them arise in response to what we see on the ground."
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus directed media questions about the deployment of National Guard soldiers to Abbott.
"The questions you're asking me about the National Guard, I would ask you to direct those questions to the individual who's responsible for deploying them," McManus said.
Kent called the use of the military an intimidation tactic and said it wouldn't deter peaceful protests.
"It's intimidation flat out, and we are not intimidated," he said. "That is why we are having peaceful protests across the country and the world on Saturday."
The Euless Police Department said in a statement to CBS News Texas, "We've been asked to see whether the [protesters] who have an event in Euless on Saturday have a permit from the city or PD to hold their rally."
Fort Worth Police said, "The Fort Worth Police Department is working closely with our community and our Intelligence Fusion Center to monitor all activity during any peaceful protests that may take place in the City of Fort Worth."
