A Week Before the Election, Texas National Guard Prepares to Deploy Troops to Cities
October 28th, 2020Via: Texas Tribune:
The Texas Army National Guard said Monday that up to 1,000 troops could be dispatched to cities across Texas ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Brandon Jones, a spokesperson for the Guard, said the deployment is not related to the election and troops would not be stationed at polling places. He said it was a continuation of peacekeeping efforts that began during anti-police brutality protests this summer.
“The Texas Military Department was activated to provide additional support to the Department of Public Safety in the summer of 2020,” Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, the adjutant general of Texas, said in a statement. “Texas Service Members continue to support [the Texas Department of Public Safety] in this capacity, guarding historical landmarks such as the Alamo and the State Capitol.”
Troops could be sent to five major cities: Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio, according to the San Antonio Express-News, which first reported the move. The newspaper reported that Guard members could arrive as soon as this weekend.
