Kennedy, who finally received Secret Service protection last month after being denied five times, requested an indoor stage at the Political Soapbox.
Almost a month after a gunman shot and injured former President Donald Trump at an outside rally in Pennsylvania, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled a planned appearance at the Iowa State Fair, citing “increased security concerns.”
Kennedy declared his candidacy in April 2023 and faced multiple rejections for Secret Service protection before it was granted promptly following the July 13 attempted assassination of Trump.
His family history of political violence, with his uncle President John F. Kennedy and father Sen. Robert F. Kennedy both being assassinated, adds to the heightened security concerns surrounding Kennedy’s campaign.
Due to security threats, Kennedy has not held his own campaign rallies since receiving Secret Service protection, although he did speak at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville. More events are planned for the coming weeks as Kennedy aims to get on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Kennedy has criticized the denial of Secret Service protection as a “political” decision, expressing concerns for the safety of his family and bystanders in the event of a serious incident.
Federal law grants the president and the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to authorize Secret Service protection for presidential candidates, with major candidates typically receiving protection within 120 days of the election year.
Security incidents have plagued Kennedy’s campaign, including the arrest of an armed man impersonating a U.S. Marshal at a Los Angeles event in September 2023, and another armed man attempting to break into his home the following month.
These security challenges underscore the importance of ensuring the safety of political candidates and the need for robust security measures during campaign events. Please rewrite this sentence.
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