State of Missouri Activated the National Guard as a Precautionary Measure: The First Marines Arrive to San Antonio and Austin, and President Trump Celebrates 250 Years in Washington, D.C.
“We respect, and will defend, the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or lawlessness in our state,” Kehoe said in a statement earlier this week. While other states may wait for chaos to occur, the State of Missouri is taking a proactive approach in order to support local law enforcement.
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered National Guard troops to San Antonio and Austin ahead of expected protests. And in Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe activated that state’s National Guard as a “precautionary measure.”
Marines are expected to protect federal buildings, such as the Wilshire Federal Building, and those inside, they will be equipped with shields and batons, among other crowd control gear, but will not have arresting powers.
The events come in the wake of the President activating the California National Guard against Governor Newsom’s and LA Mayor Bass’s wishes, as well as sending Marines to Los Angeles. The first group of 700 Marines arrived on Friday.
Also on Saturday, the U.S. Army is holding a military parade in Washington, D.C. to celebrate its 250th anniversary, which is also President Trump’s 79th birthday.
“No Kings” protests in Washington, D.C., and Washington, during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown on the inauguration day parade
Protests have generally been peaceful, but some protesters have clashed with law enforcement, set cars ablaze, and vandalized buildings with graffiti. The police have made arrests across the country.
Several demonstrations took place this week in Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Protests in Los Angeles have been ongoing all week in response to the administration ramping up immigration enforcement in the city.
“No Kings” gave guidance for participants and organizers about how to de-escalate any conflicts with outside parties.
“If you want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force, By the way,” said Trump. I don’t know about the protest, but it’s people that hate our country.
It is estimated to cost between $25 and 45 million, and will feature 6,000 Army soldiers, 49 aircraft, 128 vehicles, and 25 horses. During Trump’s first term, he wanted to hold a parade, but it was too expensive. He was inspired by the annual Bastille Day parade in France. That parade celebrates French mobs taking over the Bastille state prison in 1789.
According to the organizers’ website, the protesters are avoiding the nation’s capital “to draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.”
About 2,000 “No Kings” protests are planned Saturday in response to the Trump administration’s plans to hold a large-scale military parade this weekend, an event organizer told NPR.
The coalition that put on the demonstrations include the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, and the Communications Workers of America. In Washington, D.C. protesters are not scheduled in every state. Instead, organizers are encouraging interested D.C. residents to gather in Philadelphia — the flagship “No Kings” protest. Philadelphia was America’s first capital and was the birthplace of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.