Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has mobilized the state National Guard to support the Minnesota State Patrol, a spokesperson for the guard said Saturday.
“We are staged and ready to respond. We are not deployed to city streets at this time,” Minnesota National Guard spokesperson Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya said in a statement to CNN, adding troops will help provide “traffic support to protect life, preserve property, and support the rights of all Minnesotans to assemble peacefully.”
On Saturday, crowds of bundled-up demonstrators chanted and waved signs in subfreezing temperatures in downtown Minneapolis and at the nearby Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. CNN saw several protesters detained by law enforcement near the federal building, though the protest was peaceful and it’s not immediately clear why they were detained. Extra measures have been put in place in downtown Minneapolis with blocked roads and at least one hotel bolstering security due to the protests.
“Stay safe and stay peaceful today,” Walz urged the public in a social media post Saturday. “Our public safety team has the resources, coordination, and personnel on the ground to maintain public safety and respond if needed. Thanks to local law enforcement for keeping the peace.”
An official in the governor’s office said the move was a reconfirmation of Walz’s direction for the state National Guard to mobilize in support of the local law enforcement.
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