‘Kent State moment’: Oath Keepers founder claims Dems setting false flag trap
Some far-right extremists are relishing the idea of violence at the "No Kings" protests against President Donald Trump set to happen in over 2,000 cities this weekend. But others have the exact opposite take on the matter.
On Friday, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes told conspiracy theorist webcaster Alex Jones that Trump supporters ought to stay far away from these protests, lest they add fuel to what he imagines will be a Democratic false flag event.
"They want their Kent State moment," said Rhodes, referencing an infamous massacre of anti-Vietnam War student protesters at Kent State by the Ohio National Guard. "They're defending the indefensible, they're protesting against the deportation of child sex traffickers, smugglers for fentanyl that are killing Americans as proxies for communist China. They're defending the indefensible. So what they hope to see happen is U.S. troops or Trump supporters opening fire on 'peaceful protesters.'"
"That's why it's important for us — my advice to all Trump supporters is stay out of these protests, let them show their a--," said Rhodes, who was instrumental in the planning of attacks during the Jan. 6 insurrection and was convicted of seditious conspiracy. Trump went on to commute his sentence.
Rhodes' warning comes amid similar advice by other Trump loyalists, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) posting on X, "Do NOT attend the No Kings protests. I have screen shots circulating that leftists are going to wear MAGA gear in an attempt to cause chaos."
The No Kings protests come at the same time as protests against mass deportations erupt in cities around the country, with some of the most prominent being in Los Angeles. Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines to try to disperse them, although California officials have said his federalization of the Guard was unjustified and illegal, and moved for a federal court to stop him.