Wed Feb 23, 2022 – 2:44 pm ESTWed Feb 23, 2022 – 2:46 pm EST
WASHINGTON (LifeSiteNews) — The Biden Department of Defense (DoD) approved the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops and 50 tactical vehicles to Washington, D.C., ahead of trucker protests against COVID-19 mandates planned for the coming days.
The Pentagon said Tuesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved 700 Guardsmen to the nation’s capital, the Associated Press reported.
Four hundred troops from the D.C. Guard and 300 from other states will be used to “provide support at designated traffic posts, provide command and control, and cover sustainment requirements” during trucker demonstrations around D.C., according to the DoD. Starting Saturday afternoon, “50 large tactical vehicles” will also be positioned at the traffic posts on a 24-hour basis, the Pentagon said. The approval lasts until March 7.
The DoD stated that the National Guard troops will not carry firearms or engage in law enforcement or domestic-surveillance activities.
The D.C. government and the U.S. Capitol Police requested the deployments.
“The District of Columbia and its public safety agencies are aware of and prepared for potential demonstrations that may take place in the National Capital Region
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