‘Trump campaign removed social distancing stickers’
WASHINGTON: Hours before the US President Donald Trump's re-election rally began in Tulsa, his campaign directed t he removal of thousands of stickers giving social distancing instructions from the seats in the arena, according to a report by the Washington Post.
According to photos and video obtained by the Post, as well as a person familiar with the event, the management of the BOK Center in Tulsa, where the rally was held, had pasted stickers that said “Do not sit Here, Please?” on every other seat as part of the safety protocol amid the coronavirus pandemic.
However, hours before the rally, the campaigners asked the event management to remove the stickers, The Post quoted a person involved in the event as saying. Billboard Magazine, the first to report about the actions during the Trump’s campaign, reported that a video created by a third party showed Trump staffers walking down the aisles of the BOK Center and peeling the stickers off the chairs before the rally.
“They also told us that they didn’t want any signs posted saying we should social distance in the venue,” the magazine quoted Doug Thornton, executive VP for ASM Global, as saying.
Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh said: “The rally was in full compliance with local requirements. In addition, every rally attendee received a temperature check prior to admission, was given a face mask, and provided ample access to hand sanitiser.”
“There were signs posted and we are not aware of any campaign s t a f f a s k i ng t ha t t he y b e removed,” the campaign said.