The Miami Police Department is working with local, state and federal partners to secure the perimeter around the federal courthouse where former President Donald Trump will be arraigned Tuesday, Manny Morales, the city’s police chief, said.
The police chief said the city is prepared to handle any protests and crowds, telling reporters in a news conference Monday about security that “we are ready and we are ready for it to be over and done.”
When asked by CNN about people in the area being concerned about more hardened barriers around the facility, Morales said, “There is no reason to fear.”
“We are prepared. We have experience in handling large demonstrations. This is the city of Miami,” he added.
Morales said the city has not issued any protest permits, and would not further elaborate on what barriers, if any, would be used around the courthouse.
“We know there is a potential of things taking a turn for the worst, but that’s not the Miami way, adding that they have enough resources to handle crowed sizes from 5,000 to 50,000.
Law enforcement officials are expressing concern over the potentially large number of Trump supporters expected to gather outside the courthouse, CNN previously reported.
Later on in the news conference, Morales did tell reporters that at this time, there will be no separation or barrier between Trump supporters and protesters outside of the courthouse for Tuesday’s court appearance.
When asked if groups of supporters and protestors would be separated, Morales said, “The logistics downtown make that a little bit difficult. Obviously, if we select based on the crowd size as we’re making our determination and we’re stepping up our strategic plan, we will have a first amendment designated area that will have sight and sound. And if we begin to see that there’s opposing parties, we will at that time make sure that they’re separated and there’s plenty of officers on the scene.”
“Supporters of the former president can go anywhere around the street, sir,” CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz pressed. “You’re not going to have any areas designated for them? They can just go anywhere they want around the perimeter of the courthouse?”
“That’s what the freedom of speech area is for,” Morales said.
