Miami is set for former President Donald Trump to testify before Judge Aileen M. Cannon. City authorities have announced the deployment of a powerful coordinated team of federal, state and local agents in anticipation that between 5,000 and 50,000 of the former president's supporters will come to the Southern District courthouse to support their leader. In addition, incitements to violence have been registered on social networks, and there are fears of fights breaking out between pro-Trump and Antifa members who have also announced their planned attendance.
Rewatch Mayor @FrancisSuarez's Press Conference from this afternoon. https://t.co/hWgjpfG3oS#CityOfMiami
— City of Miami (@CityofMiami) June 12, 2023
"The city is prepared" for Trump
Trump's appearance is expected around 3:00 p.m. (ET), although law enforcement will be in place throughout the morning. This was announced at a joint press conference, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales. Although they did not provide too many details about the planned deployment and street closures, they insisted on several occasions that the city is prepared, citing as an example the management of uncontrolled crowd demonstrations and the tense political rallies that took place in the city after the assassination of George Floyd in 2020.
Asked about Trump, Suarez, a Republican known for his collusion with Democratic trends and politicians - he went so far as to vote for Andrew Gillum for governor in his showdown with Ron DeSantis - preferred to put himself in profile: "I'm not here to talk politics. I am here in my role as Mayor of the City of Miami projecting confidence to our residents and the residents of the country that we are going to be prepared for tomorrow."
Traffic cuts, although barricades will not be erected at first
The mayor warned that passers-by should expect "disruption" throughout the day, both on public transport and on the streets that will be closed, although he declined to specify which ones. The Chief of Police explained that this aspect could vary in response to the final size of the rallies.
In principle, Morales assured that no barricades will be erected around the Tribunal, and that citizens will be able to transit without problems, something that could change as events unfold. City Hall indicated that, hours before Trump's appearance, they had not received any formal request of permission for demonstrations. However, law enforcement agencies, monitoring the networks, expect large groups, including the participation of the Proud Boys.
From the progressive camp, fears are being thrown around about how Florida law is far more permissive of gun carrying - even concealed - than Washington and New York, the two places where Trump has appeared so far. Morales, however, once again assured that the security arrangements are ready to deal with any situation. "We know there's the potential for things to get worse, but that's not Miami's style."
Kari Lake calls to demonstrate "peacefully and patriotically"
Among the examples of calls for violence and even threats, Kari Lake' s statements last Saturday in Georgia, where she assured:
If you want to get to President Trump, you're going to have to go through me, and 75 million Americans just like me. And most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA. That's not a threat, that's a public service announcement.
We will not let them lay a finger on President Trump. pic.twitter.com/3IcXosDxUU
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) June 10, 2023
However, Lake herself has made it clear and insisted on her Twitter account, that she will be in Miami over the course of the day, and that she will be involved "peacefully and patriotically." The former Republican candidate for California governor in 2022 encouraged "all others to do the same," claiming that "we cannot afford to be the silent majority any longer. It's time to make our voices heard."
I will be in Miami tomorrow to peacefully and patriotically protest in support of @realDonaldTrump.
I encourage all others to do the same.
We can't afford to be the silent majority any longer. It's time to make our voices heard.https://t.co/JSqNmKIUNw
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) June 12, 2023
Antifa vs. pro-Trump clashes?
In view of the call for at least one local Antifa group to get his supporters to come and protest in front of the court, Morales assured that the police have everything ready to deter violent confrontations. "If we start to see that there are warring parties, at that point we'll make sure they're separated and that there are plenty of officers on the scene."
