Gov. Newsom Activates National Guard Ahead Of Inauguration

LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Gavin Newsom called up the California National Guard Thursday to help protect the State Capitol in Sacramento in the days leading up to the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

The move follows last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol and this week's FBI warnings of threats of violence targeting all 50 state capitals. California will also erect a temporary security perimeter around the State Capitol, Newsom announced.

“We are treating this very seriously and deploying significant resources to protect public safety, critical infrastructure and First Amendment rights, but let me be clear, there will be no tolerance for violence,” Newsom said. “That is why today, along with the [California Highway Patrol] and the Office of Emergency Services, I’ve activated the California National Guard to support the CHP to enhance security, with an initial deployment of up to 1,000 guard members to protect critical state infrastructure in and around the State Capitol.”

Newsom said the state is working with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to assess threats and share intelligence. As the nation reels from the violent insurrection in the halls of Congress, state leaders across the nation have vowed not to be caught off guard by violent unrest surrounding the Biden inauguration.

“What we witnessed at our nation’s Capitol is an undemocratic and unconscionable assault on our republic and the freedoms upon which our nation was founded,” Newsom said. “California will take every necessary measure to protect public safety and our democratic principles to ensure these disgraceful actions are not repeated here.”