Missouri governor activates National Guard, declares state of emergency
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) on Thursday declared a state of emergency and activated the state's National Guard in anticipation of protests across the state — and in response to 'civil unrest' across the country.
Missouri Executive Order 25-25 declares a State of Emergency and allows the Adjutant General to order service members to aid state officials.
The order comes after the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri National Guard and Missouri Department of Public Safety established a Unified Command to monitor situations across the state and prepare local law enforcement.
Additionally, the order also declares that the Adjutant General may employ necessary equipment to support authorities and provide assistance.
While nationwide protests continue to flare up in response to the Trump administration's immigration policies, Kehoe said his order is purely precautionary.
'We respect, and will defend, the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or lawlessness in our state,' the governor said.
'While other states may wait for chaos to ensue, the State of Missouri is taking a proactive approach in the event that assistance is needed to support local law enforcement in protecting our citizens and communities,' he added.
To read Kehoe's full order, click here.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas' Office shared a statement Thursday regarding the mayor's concerns about Gov. Kehoe's decision.
'Mayor Lucas is concerned with enhanced state enforcement for one set of protestors, but no action or aid to local law enforcement when Neo-Nazis march through Missouri's urban streets,' the statement reads. 'The Mayor has confidence in responsible protestors to use their First Amendment rights peacefully and in compliance with the law. More than one thousand Kansas Citians protested peacefully and responsibly just days ago.'
'For those who do not act responsibly, the Mayor stands by the women and men of local law enforcement at KCPD and other agencies to handle any necessary enforcement actions,' it continues. 'Unnecessary escalation from our nation's capital and state capitals undermines local law enforcement and makes all less safe.'
Missouri House Minority Leader Ashley Aune (D-Kansas City) also responded Thursday, saying the governor's actions are unwarranted:
'Governor Kehoe's preemptive declaration of a state of emergency as Missourians prepare to protest an increasingly authoritarian presidential administration is a blatant attempt to intimidate and suppress First Amendment rights,' she wrote in a statement.
'The protests planned this weekend across Missouri and throughout the nation were sparked by the president's unwarranted and heavy-handed military response to opposition to his policies,' the state lawmaker added. 'By doing the same, the governor will only heighten tensions and increase the possibility of conflict. Governor Kehoe should staunchly defend the rights of Missourians, not mimic the authoritarianism of the president.'
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) too condemned the governor's actions, calling it an 'unnecessary provocation.'
'Governor Kehoe's decision to activate Missouri's National Guard serves as an unnecessary provocation to thwart public dissent,' the ACLU wrote. 'The right for people to join in protests or peaceful assembly is core to the First Amendment, and critical to a functioning democracy. Government and law enforcement officials have the moral and constitutional responsibility to stop the escalation, practice restraint, and allow Missourians to exercise this foundational right.'
'It is critical that Missourians who plan on attending know and educate others of their rights around protests and police interactions,' the union added. 'We emphasize attendees to prioritize de-escalation, even in moments of governmental provocation and fear-mongering, and to lookout for one another.'
Lucas also posted on social platform X after California Sen. Alex Padilla (D) was forcibly removed from a press conference on Thursday.
'One of our few Latino senators tries to ask a question of a cabinet secretary over whom he has oversight responsibility, and is placed in handcuffs on the ground. Shameful,' he wrote.
Other state officials have commended Kehoe for his actions.
U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.) said the governor is sending a strong message.
'We support the first amendment right of every Missourian to peacefully demonstrate, but violence and riots will NOT be tolerated in the Show Me State,' Alford wrote on x.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey thanked Kehoe for 'taking preemptive measures to ensure the lawlessness we've seen across our country does not reach our state.'
'We will not allow what is going on in LA to happen in Missouri,' Bailey wrote on X.
On President Trump's order, thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines were deployed to Los Angeles following protests in response to the administration's enforcement of immigration laws.
This has prompted Los Angeles officials to enforce curfews. Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the president of abusing his authority.
In addition to protests nationwide, activists are also planning 'No Kings' events across the country Saturday to coincide with the president's planned military parade in Washington.
In Kansas City, a 'No Kings Rally' will be held Saturday at the Country Club Plaza from noon to 3 p.m.
Texas has also readied roughly 5,000 National Guard troops ahead of expected protests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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In Los Angeles, Anna Perez, 46, of suburban Lincoln Heights carried a sign honoring her grandparents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Sonora years ago and became citizens. Her parents worked as civil servants, and she now works for the city of Los Angeles. 'There's an insinuation we're all criminals, that we want to take from the government, to steal,' Perez said. 'We all turned out perfectly fine.' She had spent the last week watching ICE raids and unrest with alarm. The situation crystallized for her when she asked her 14-year-old how she felt about everything. Her daughter replied, 'It's sad this has become our new normal,' she said. 'It's hard to hear that.' Caroline Heldman, a professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said in an interview on KPIX that the number of people marching nationwide in Saturday's No Kings protests could set a new record for the U.S. The largest single-day protest in U.S. history was the Women's March in 2017, which was held in response to Trump's first inauguration. Estimates of the number of people who attended demonstrations that day range from 3.3 million to 4.6 million, including about 100,000 in San Francisco. Ko Lyn Cheang, Sarah Ravani, Hannah Hagemann, St. John Barned-Smith, Christian Leonard and Demian Bulwa contributed to this report.
