Gov. Baker approves deployment of Mass. National Guard to Washington D.C. for inauguration

BOSTON — After federal officials asked for Massachusetts to help protect Washington D.C. during the upcoming presidential inauguration, Governor Baker approved the order on Thursday.

Up to 500 Massachusetts National Guard personnel will head to the nation’s capital where they will support the District of Columbia National Guard for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

The personnel is expected to be deployed in the coming day.

“We’ve had an ask from Washington to support a fairly significant request for Guard personnel in our nation’s capital and we’re currently processing that,” Baker said.

Bob Kinder owns a security company and has 24 years of military counter-terrorism experience. The concern is they could turn violent.

“There will certainly be peaceful protests,” Kinder said.

Kinder said the National Guard is being brought in from all 50 states ahead of the presidential inauguration.

“I’m hearing numbers between 10,000 and 20,000. The final number will be tallied by the secret service,” he said.

And that show of force is deliberate.

“The intent is with the National Guard, the large security forces going down there, that it will negate any thoughts of violent protests or armed protests,” Kinder said.

On Wednesday, President Trump called for peace.

“There must be no violence, no law-breaking, and no violence of any kind. everyone must follow our laws and obey our laws and the instructions of law enforcement,” Trump said.

Governor Baker also signed an additional order activating up to 500 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to support state and local law enforcement in the Commonwealth.