The U.S. National Guard on Saturday said it has deployed more than 43,300 soldiers across the nation to curb the unrest, additional deployment of 1,800 military personnel compared to Friday.
Protests against racism and police brutality sparked by the police killing of unarmed African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis entered the 12th day on Saturday with tens of thousands of demonstrators marching in Washington DC and other U.S. cities.
The White House wanted to deploy 10,000 active-duty troops to the streets of Washington DC and other U.S. cities earlier this week to quell protests, but Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint of Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley refused to sanction the move, CNN reported on Saturday citing a senior defense official.
"Today, more than 43,300 members of the National Guard are deployed in 34 states and DC to support security forces in the face of civil unrest, while more than 37,000 Guard soldiers continue to support the COVID-19 response," the National Guard posted on its official social media account.
Military vehicles and officers in fatigues had closed off much of downtown Washington, DC to traffic, as protesters stirred by the death of George Floyd - who died on May 25 after a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes - flooded the streets chanting and carrying signs including "Get your knee off our necks."
The White House has been fortified with new fencing and extra security precautions. Most businesses around the downtown area have their windows boarded shut.
A man standing behind a table handed out water, snacks, and paper towels to demonstrators. The few police and security officers in sight wore patrol uniforms rather than body armor and helmets and had a more relaxed posture than in days prior.
The mood across the capital seemed jubilant. The White House said the president had no public events scheduled for Saturday. It was unclear if, behind the new fence, he could hear the crowds filling the city, at one point chanting: "This is what democracy looks like."
