Beech Tree News Network

Trooper Brian McKinney has served with the Kentucky State Police for thirteen years. As a trooper, he has been in several different situations but this is the first that involved him being instrumental in keeping the peace during a Presidential Inauguration.  

For the past few years he has been granted the opportunity to escort Don Jenkins, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, to several events, including the recent inauguration of the 45th President, Donald J. Trump.

While seated in the ticketed Medal of Honor section to witness the swearing in,  Trooper McKinney said he could hear a loud whistle behind him causing the sound of the president’s words to be drowned out.  Along with the whistle blowing, the man began to scream “Unfit! Not legit!” into his megaphone.   Once McKinney realized what was occurring, he approached the individual with the whistle to try to stop him from interrupting the inauguration.  At this time he quickly realized that the protestor would not cooperate and had to stop him by force.  Once the man was subdued, he was escorted out of the ticketed Medal of Honor section, to which he had no ticket to be in, with cheers of those seated shouting “Trump! Trump! Trump!” as he was lead from the premises.  Up until this point the ceremony had been respectful and peaceful.  

Trooper McKinney stated, “Regardless of who was being sworn in, they deserve to have the moment.  This gentleman’s disrespect (the protestor) to the President and the Medal of Honor recipients that I was privileged to sit with was unbelievable”.

The below link shows a video of what occurred during the Inauguration:

https://youtu.be/92e3qmTYFOY

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Story by Amber McIntosh, Beech Tree News.