- Members of the DC National Guard, who were deployed in response to protests against police brutality in the nation's capital last week, tested positive for the coronavirus, McClatchy reported on Tuesday.
- Those infected were among the 1,300 DC National Guard members called in to help law enforcement, according to the outlet.
- While the Guard did not release the exact number of its troops infected after the DC protests, US officials told Associated Press that they do not believe it to be a "large number."
- According to the Associated Press, many Guard members in DC were not wearing masks and were unable to maintain effective social distancing during protests.
- President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the National Guard would begin the process of withdrawing troops from the capital.
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Members of the DC National Guard, who were deployed in response to protests in the nation's capital last week, tested positive for the coronavirus.
While the Guard did not release the exact number of its troops infected after the DC protests, US officials told the Associated Press that they do not believe it to be a "large number."
News of the positive coronavirus cases was first reported by McClatchy, which said those infected were among the 1,300 DC National Guard members called in to help law enforcement.
"The safety and security of our personnel is always a concern, especially in light of the COVID-19 era," Lt. Col. Brooke Davis, a National Guard spokeswoman, told the outlet on Tuesday.
According to the AP, many Guard members in DC were not wearing masks and were unable to maintain effective social distancing during protests.
A National Guard Bureau spokesman told Military Times that nearly 4,900 personnel were called in to support the DC National National Guard as of Sunday — some from out of state.
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the National Guard would begin the process of withdrawing from the capital.
According to Davis, guardsmen that tested positive for COVID-19 would stay back in DC until they were no longer sick.
"All Guardsmen who are suspected to be at high risk of infection or have tested positive for COVID-19 during demobilization will not be released ... until risk of infection or illness has passed," Davis told McClatchy.
According to McClatchy, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that National Guard units were expected to leave DC by Wednesday.
More than two dozen states activated the National Guard last month following demonstrations over the May 25 death of George Floyd.
Floyd, a black man, died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes.
Several major clashes between protesters and authorities broke out in DC last week. On Saturday, the city saw its largest protest to date. The majority of the protests remained peaceful even after DC ended its curfew.
Trump previously touted the importance of having a National Guard presence at protests, encouraging troops to "dominate the streets," though DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said the deployment was "used for a show" of force.
"I don't think that the military should be used on the streets of American cities against Americans," Bowser said. "And I definitely think it shouldn't be used for a show."
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