A request by the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. officials for help from the National Guard with potential truck driver protests in the D.C. area was granted Tuesday, officials said.
"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has approved requests... for District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG) assistance with traffic control during First Amendment demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days," the National Guard said in a statement.
Around 700 National Guard troops, about 400 from D.C. and up to 300 from outside the District, will be available to "provide support at designated traffic posts, provide command and control, and cover sustainment requirements" through March 7, the statement reads.
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Law enforcement agencies in D.C., Maryland and Virginia told News4 they are monitoring what could be a number of trucker convoys coming to the area.
Truckers apparently spurred on by the recent protests in Canada want their voices heard, but the extent of the protests and how disruptive they may be is still unclear.
The D.C. National Guard “stands ready to provide support to the citizens of the District as directed by the secretary of defense,” spokesman Maj. Aaron Thacker said in a statement.
