DC national guard bracing for pro-Trump protest amid electoral college challenge
US National Guard troops have been activated in Washington, DC, where supporters of US President Donald Trump are about to challenge the electoral college victory of former Vice President Joe Biden.
The pro-Trump demonstrations scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday would require some 340 personnel to be activated in the city from January 5 to 7.
“Capital guardsmen will also support DC Fire and Emergency Management Services with specially trained Civil Support Team personnel. Guardsmen are prepared to respond to augment the main missions, should additional personnel be required,” the DC National Guard said on Monday.
Washington Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser called for additional help in dealing with repercussions of Trump’s refusal to concede defeat in the 2020 presidential election, along with the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
“At the request of Mayor Muriel Bowser, the District of Columbia National Guard is in a support role to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) which will enable them to provide a safe environment for our fellow citizens to exercise their first amendment right to demonstrate,” Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, said in a statement. “Our main mission is augmenting select traffic control points and metro stations identified by MPD.”
US Congress is set to vote Wednesday to certify votes declaring Biden the winner of the November 3 presidential election.
“I am asking Washingtonians and those who live in the region to stay out of the downtown area on Tuesday and Wednesday and not to engage with demonstrators who come to our city seeking confrontation, and we will do what we must to ensure all who attend remain peaceful,” Muriel said in a Sunday statement.
Trump was, meanwhile, targeting senators who said they would not reject Biden’s victory such as Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton.
"How can you certify an election when the numbers being certified are verifiably WRONG,” Trump tweeted. "@SenTomCotton Republicans have pluses & minuses, but one thing is sure, THEY NEVER FORGET!”
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