A protester raises his fist during a rally Monday, June 1, 2020, in Las Vegas, against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.
Gov. Steve Sisolak on Tuesday ordered more members of the Nevada National Guard activated in Southern Nevada to help support state and local law enforcement.
But unlike President Trump’s call for guardsmen to “dominate” the protesters and put them in jail for long sentences, Sisolak made it clear that’s not the Nevada Guard’s mission.
“The Nevada National Guard will not be on the front lines, making arrests or doing crowd control,” he said. “Their mission is to act as support personnel and they will focus on protecting critical facilities, preserving public safety and allowing individuals to exercise their rights to peacefully demonstrate.”
Sisolak last weekend activated two guard units, one in the north and the other in the south. He said the added guardsmen are there for support in the wake of rioting in the past couple of nights.
He said Nevada’s guard is made up of “our neighbors, family and friends.” He said they have been helping with the COVID-19 pandemic and helping administer and collect virus tests.
Sisolak has said repeatedly that violence cannot be tolerated. He said he is committed to ensuring the public can safety express their First Amendment rights. He has called for an end to the injustices faced by Black Americans.
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