US National Guard deploys hundreds of troops in Washington

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (YPA) – Hundreds of US National Guard troops have been deployed to help maintain order, and Washington city officials on Monday called on Supporters of President Donald Trump not to bring guns to protests this week against congressional certification of his election defeat, according to Reuters .

“We have received some information that there are individuals intent on bringing firearms into our city and that just will not be tolerated,” Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee told a City Hall news conference, adding that anyone found doing so or provoking violence would be arrested.

More than 300 troops will be on hand to support the city government, providing crowd control and aiding fire and rescue services, the D.C. National Guard said in a statement on Monday. They will be joined by the U.S. Capitol Police, US Park Police and U.S. Secret Service, Contee said.

Thousands of Trump supporters, including some far-right nationalist groups carrying guns, are expected to rally in protest elsewhere in the capital starting Tuesday to oppose congressional confirmation the day after the Republican president’s November 3 loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Contee said the protests could be bigger than November and December rallies marred by stabbings and brawls as hundreds of Proud Boys, a group of self-described “Western chauvinists,” and other Trump loyalists clashed with counter-protesters, and sought fights with antifa, or anti-fascists, and Black Lives Matter activists.

E.M