The Army activated around 400 Washington, D.C., National Guardsmen in the midst of the threat of vandals who are defacing important historical monuments all over the country. The move was meant to protect the numerous monuments and statues that can be found in the nation’s capital. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt made the request to bolster the force of the National Park Police under normal circumstances that provides security to all the monuments and landmarks in Washington DC.

The Guardsmen were posted in an armory while they waited for further orders as to where they will be posted in the capital. There have been Guardsmen who have been activated a few weeks ago when the first rioting and looting took place. Many of them have transitioned back to helping fight the pandemic, but many will be redirected towards the role of guarding monuments in the city. The Guardsmen are not armed, and they do not even carry pepper spray or at least not yet. U.S. Marshals have also been told that they should get ready to help in the protection of monuments.

The rioters which started out with protesting against police brutality and then looting have now transitioned into vandalism and the destruction of monuments all over the country. At first, they are targeting the monuments of Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee or Jefferson Davis, but now they are just targeting any monument that is dedicated to a white person.