DC mayor taps NATIONAL GUARD for Trump rally, gets reminded that MAGA crowds ‘aren’t the ones that torch & loot’
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested National Guard troops and urged residents to avoid downtown as Donald Trump supporters plan to descend on the US capital to protest the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.
Bowser’s office told media outlets on Monday that she had asked the National Guard to send about 340 unarmed troops to help District of Columbia police and firefighters to manage demonstrations by supporters of President Trump, but noted only 115 would be deployed at once. The mayor advised Washington residents to stay out of the downtown area and refrain from engaging with protesters who “come to our city seeking confrontation.”
Mayor Bowser has called up the National Guard to help police manage the pro-Trump demonstrations Tuesday and Wednesday.
— Julie Zauzmer (@JulieZauzmer) January 4, 2021
Ironically, the mayor made no such call for military help when Black Lives Matter protesters set fires, vandalized national monuments and hurled rocks and bottles of urine at Secret Service agents earlier this year. In fact, Bowser in June called on Trump to withdraw National Guard soldiers and other federal forces who had been deployed to help quell riots.
The mayor even renamed a street in front of the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza” and ordered that the BLM slogan to be painted on the pavement in giant letters. On Monday, conservatives reminded her that it wasn’t MAGA protesters who caused havoc in the city.
Dear @MayorBowser:@realDonaldTrump supporters weren’t the ones rioting, looting big-screen TVs from Best Buy, tearing down Lincoln statues, torching churches, throwing rocks at police, and beating up innocent bystanders.Those were #BLM, #antifa, & other @JoeBiden supporters. https://t.co/gRsAFwsjOS
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) January 3, 2021
“Donald Trump supporters weren’t the ones rioting, looting big-screen TVs from Best Buy, tearing down Lincoln statues, torching churches, throwing rocks at police and beating up innocent bystanders,” Republican lawyer Mike Davis said. “Those were BLM, Antifa and other Joe Biden supporters.”
Why did DC’s mayor Muriel Bowser just ask the National Guard to shut down the Stop the Steal rally happening this Wednesday, but Bowser allowed weeks of violent Black Lives Matter riots?🤔
— Paul A. Szypula, US Senate Candidate for NY in ‘22 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 4, 2021
Self-described “classical liberal” Sally Eastman agreed, saying: “Muriel Bowser is a coward. She cannot fathom that a few hundred thousand people could peaceably assemble to protest because all she understands is rioting and looting.”
#MurielBowser is a coward. She cannot fathom that a few hundred thousand people could peaceably assemble to protest bc all she understands is rioting and looting.
— Sally Eastman (@sallyeastman1) January 4, 2021
BLM and Antifa activists have had violent clashes with conservatives at gatherings in Washington last year. People leaving Trump’s Republican National Convention speech at the White House in August, including Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and his wife, were accosted by mobs of leftist protesters. Bowser, however, blamed Trump supporters for violence that erupted following demonstrations.
Yeah, our mayor is out of her mind! The damage and division she’s caused in The District is freaking shameful!
— Christy at Red Hat Chat 🇺🇸 (@redhatchristy) January 4, 2021
Bowser told reporters on Monday that guns won’t be permitted at this week’s protests, and she may impose a curfew. Washington Police Chief Robert Contee said his department had received information indicating that some people plan to bring guns to the city.
NEW: DC Police chief at a briefing with Mayor Bowser on Jan. 5-6 protests:"We have received some information that there are individuals intent on bringing firearms into our city. That just will not be tolerated."
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 4, 2021
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