Members of the DC National Guard will respond when supporters of President Donald Trump protest the 2020 election results in downtown DC this week.
The DC National Guard will assist the Metropolitan Police Department in crowd management and traffic control, MPD’s acting chief, Robert Contee, said at a news conference Monday morning. The department expects a larger audience than at two pro-Trump events in DC last year.
“Some of our intelligence agencies are certainly suggesting that there will be more crowds,” Contee said, adding, “There are people planning to come to our city armed.”
A US defense official said DC National Guard members will not be armed or wearing body armor. Congress is meeting this week to certify electoral college results, and Trump has declined to admit while raising support for protests.
Anyone carrying a gun at a protest or within 300 feet of a protest will be arrested, in accordance with DC law, the acting police chief said. Police posted signs in Freedom Plaza this weekend, where protests are expected, warning against the law.
Download our free NBC Washington app for iOS or Android for the latest local news and weather.
Law enforcement will work to maintain order during the demonstrations, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
“We will not allow people to incite violence, intimidate our residents or cause destruction in our city,” she said.
Officials will evaluate whether a curfew is required, Bowser said.
Police will increase their presence around churches after protesters previously destroyed Black Lives Matter signs outside.
In a message on Sunday, the mayor asked people to stay away from the demonstrations and the center.
“I ask Washingtonians and those living in the region to stay out of downtown on Tuesday and Wednesday and not engage in conversation with protesters who come to our city to confront, and we will do what we need to do to make sure ensuring that everyone present stays peaceful, ‘Bowser said in a statement.
Federal law prohibits weapons from being transported on the Capitol grounds and National Park Service areas such as Freedom Plaza, the Ellipse and the National Mall, Bowser’s office said Sunday. It is illegal to open firearms in DC, and DC does not reciprocate with other states’ hidden gun permits.
“Unless someone has gotten a concealed gun license from the District of Columbia, they can’t hide carrying a firearm in town,” the mayor’s office said.
The president said on Twitter on Sunday that he plans to attend the demonstration. Contee said on Monday he had no additional information.
The organizers of Black Lives Matter called on the mayor and police chief to protect churches and enforce regulations regarding face masks and social aloofness.
Many downtown streets are closed for parking on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There will also be street closures.
Since DC has no governor, the designated commander of the city’s National Guard is Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. All DC requests for Guard deployments must be approved by him.
The defense official said there will be no active military forces in the city and the US military will not provide aircraft or intelligence. The DC Guard will provide specialized teams that will be prepared to respond to any chemical or biological incident. But the official said there will be no DC Guard members on the National Mall or the Capitol.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this evolving story.