Capitol police asks DC National Guard for assistance ahead of possible trucker protest

In Washington, D.C., law enforcement agencies have requested that the Pentagon give assistance ahead of President Biden’s first State of the Union address next week as they anticipate the event will coincide with trucker convoy protests.

So far, security measures included erecting fencing around the Capitol Building once again in preparation for the anti-vaccine-mandate protests heading to the capital city.

On Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement that the U.S. Capitol Police as well as the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency requested D.C. National Guard personnel “to provide support at traffic control points in and around the District to help…address potential challenges stemming from possible disruptions at key traffic arteries.”

He added that the Defense Department is currently “analyzing” the requests, but “no decisions have been made yet” regarding whether they will be approved.

According to internal directives obtained by the Military Times, which was first to report on the requests by D.C. law enforcement, National Guard troops were notified of a potential activation falling between February 22 and March 7 or possibly later. If activated, the guardsmen would give vehicles and personnel at “43 critical blocking positions 24/7,” as reported by Military Times.

Washington law enforcement agencies have voiced concerns since they have received reports of truck drivers possibly planning to block major roads in metropolitan cities in the U.S. to protest vaccine mandates among other things.

“Law enforcement agencies across the National Capital Region are aware of plans for a series of truck convoys arriving in Washington, DC around the time of the State of the Union,” said the U.S. Capitol Police in a February 18 statement.

“The USCP is closely coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including DC’s Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Park Police, the United States Secret Service and other allied agencies to include the DC National Guard.”