As protesters continued to march in reaction to the death of George Floyd, Gov. J.B. Pritzker says his activation of hundreds of Illinois National Guard will be only to support local law enforcement.
The 33rd Military Police Battalion, based out of Machesney Park, is specialized in military police activities, including crowd control. Pritzker activated them Sunday and also dedicated 100 Illinois State Police troopers to assist Chicago Police.
Illinois Adjutant General Richard Neely stressed that the 375 guardsmen are only involved in a support function.
“Some of the soldiers in the battalion are civilian police officers, first responders; some are teachers, factory workers, mechanics, students,” he said.
Neely would not discuss the rules of engagement guidelines to protect the safety of the soldiers.
“With regard to protesters who are exercising their First Amendment rights, the Guard has explicit direction not to interfere,” Pritzker said, stressing that he was only activating the guardsmen at the request of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, and Lightfoot all expressed sympathy for the peaceful protesters, Pritzker calling them “massive” and “beautiful,” but Lightfoot went on to describe a different element that efficiently looted Chicago businesses.
“Crews jump out, breaking the windows, going in and literally hauling out the merchandise in coordination,” Lightfoot said. “We saw, literally, people coming by the carloads and with U-Haul vans to loot and destroy and damage.”
Protests around the country have turned violent over the weekend.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Saturday’s protest of the death of Floyd last week in Minneapolis grew to about 3,000.
Many cities, even some entire states, are under nightly curfews.
