All eyes will be on the Minnesota State Capitol Saturday as three marches converge for what is being called the fllagship "No Kings" rally in the country.
Organizers are expecting around 100,000 attendees, with appearances by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, activists Jane Fonda and Joan Baez, as well as musical artists like Bruce Springsteen and Maggie Rogers.
Security expert and former St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell says the magnitude of the event can't be underestimated.
"You look at crowds of 100,000 plus and you're talking about the scope of a day at the Minnesota State Fair," Axtell explains. "And if you can just imagine the scope of the number of people in an area like that, it can be overwhelming."
Speaking to Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News, Axtell says between St. Paul Police, the Minnesota State Patrol, Ramsey County Sheriff's Department and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, he's confident there will be enough public safety presence to handle the crowds and keep everyone safe.
Axtell says from logistics to crowd control, security is a priority for all law enforcement agencies.
"And also making sure there's enough, public safety presence so that, anybody with, nefarious intent that comes and there shouldn't be, many, if any, who show up to an event like this, but if that does happen, making sure that you have enough people there to deal with it."
There are numerous road closures, and officials in St. Paul are saying public transportation, or attending on foot, might be your best options for getting around the capitol area and downtown. More information is available here.
