U.S. Army Unit Given Bayonets In Case Dispatched To Protests In D.C.

TOPLINE

Soldiers from the Old Guard, a ceremonial army unit based outside of Washington, D.C., were issued bayonets, scabbards and live ammunition in preparation to be deployed to police protests in the capital, according to a letter from Pentagon leaders obtained by Bloomberg.

KEY FACTS

Key Background

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley apologized Thursday for participating in President Trump’s photoshoot with a bible outside of St. John’s Church, which came after the surrounding area was forcibly cleared of peaceful protesters. Milley said, “My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.” 

National Guardsmen told Politico they were uncomfortable with the way they were used to quell largely peaceful demonstrations. “The crowd was loud but peaceful, and at no point did I feel in danger, and I was standing right there in the front of the line,” said a National Guard official who spoke with Politico anonymously. “A lot of us are still struggling to process this, but in a lot of ways, I believe I saw civil rights being violated in order for a photo op.”

Further Reading

U.S. Army Unit Was Issued Bayonets to Prep for D.C. Protest Duty (Bloomberg)

Top General Apologizes for Taking Part in Trump Photo at Church (Bloomberg)

‘What I saw was just absolutely wrong’: National Guardsmen struggle with their role in controlling protests (Politico)

Weaponry on the Cutting Edge (Slate)