Baker Activating National Guard: Some For Here, Some For D.C.

Gov. Charlie Baker will be sending hundreds of members of the Massachusetts National Guard to Washington, D.C., to help secure President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week, and activating hundreds more to curb potential violence in Massachusetts.

"We will be sending Guard personnel to Washington, D.C. as part of the force that they're putting together for the inaugural festivities," the governor said Thursday.

The state will be activating up to 500 members of the National Guard for deployment. About 15,000 National Guard members are expected to be in Washington for Biden's inauguration, according to The New York Times. There is a heightened need for security following last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Up to 500 more members of the National Guard will be activated to help support local law enforcement "out of an abundance of caution and in the wake of the violence at the nation's capital," a statement said. While federal law enforcement has warned of potential violence across the country, the FBI and State Police have said there is no specific threat in Massachusetts.