"Over 3,900 Additional Troops Deployed for Washington DC Protests to Return to Original Posts"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] As the troops gathered in the U.S. capital Washington DC to respond to protests against racial discrimination have begun to return, about 3,900 more are expected to leave on the 8th.

William Walker, commander of the Washington DC National Guard, said in an interview with CNN on the 6th (local time), "At the request of the Department of Defense, National Guard troops dispatched from 11 states will leave Washington as early as the 8th."

Commander Walker also stated that these National Guard troops were not mobilized for President Trump's 'church photo op' event. Earlier on the 1st of this month, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters so that President Trump could walk to a church near the White House.

Meanwhile, President Trump tweeted on the same day, "The crowd gathered in DC was much smaller than initially expected," adding, "The National Guard, Secret Service, and DC police did a fantastic job. Thank you." President Trump judged that the deployment of these forces caused the protests, which began with the death of Black man George Floyd, to subside.

On the other hand, CNN reported, "Tens of thousands of people, estimated to be the largest gathering since George Floyd's death, assembled in Washington DC," and "However, they conducted peaceful protests without clashing with the police." It also pointed out, "The police force was much smaller compared to earlier this week."

On this day, not only in Washington DC but also in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles (LA), numerous citizens gathered downtown to hold peaceful protests.