Gov. Ducey sends Arizona National Guard troops to Kenosha protests
Aug 28, 2020, 4:05 AM
People try to push over protective fencing Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020 in Kenosha, Wis. Anger over the Sunday shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police spilled into the streets for a third night. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey is sending more than 150 Arizona National Guard troops to Kenosha, Wisconsin, as civil unrest continues to unfold after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday.
State officials in Wisconsin requested additional help due to the daily protests that have erupted since the shooting. The troops, from the 850th Military Police Battalion, are expected to arrive in Wisconsin on Friday, according to a release from Ducey’s office.
“We support public safety, everywhere — and we stand ready to support Wisconsin now in their time of need,” Ducey said in the release.
Arizona is one of three states, along with Michigan and Alabama, sending additional personnel.
A State of Emergency was declared on Tuesday by Gov. Tony Evers, one day after a 17-year-old gunman from Antioch, Illinois, shot and killed two protesters in Kenosha.
The release says that the troops will, “assist in providing a safe environment in which citizens can freely exercise their Constitutional rights.”
Ducey also stated the purpose of sending additional personnel was to uphold the rights of citizens.
“In the United States, we hold sacred the First Amendment rights of citizens to protest and assemble peacefully, as well as the safety and security of all of our citizens,” he said.
In Wisconsin, Evers authorized 500 members of the National Guard to help with the protests in Kenosha.
A 7:00 p.m. curfew has been issued for the city but it has largely been ignored by protesters.
