During an appearance on Todd Starnes’ radio show Todd Cast this Thursday, Mike Huckabee said that if lockdowns continue to be implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak, it would behove mayors of U.S. cities to advise their citizens to arm themselves.

“It is a concern because people still have not yielded over their constitutional rights,” Huckabee said in an audio clip flagged by Media Matters. “They have a right to assemble — they maybe shouldn’t but they have the right to. And short of declaring martial law and putting us under that level of essential government control, a mayor doesn’t have the power just to say you can’t buy a gun, you can’t buy ammo.”

“In fact, smart mayors would be saying if this thing continues to last, you might be prepared to protect yourself, your home, your family, because if people get desperate and they go to the store and they can’t buy toilet paper, they may bust into your house to get yours,” he continued. “You know, I’m being half facetious, but Todd this could get more serious.”

Huckabee warned that the unrest he fears has happened in this country before.

“If you’re willing to wait for the cops to get there in 15 to 30 minutes, then fine,” Huckabee said. “Just sit by the phone and tell them, not only where to pick up your body but also the next of kin. But I think a lot of people recognize that this is a time, no matter who you are or where you live, this is a time to be prepared to protect yourself, your property, and your family in case nobody else can.”

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