Walz Activating 1,000 More National Guard Members

ST. PAUL -- Governor Tim Walz has activated more Minnesota National Guard members to support law enforcement in the Twin Cities during on-going protesting following the death of George Floyd.

Early Saturday morning, Walz requested 1,000 additional guard members be sent to Minneapolis and St. Paul. The governor previously activated 500 guard members on Thursday and 200 more on Friday.

The total now stands at around 1,700, making it the largest domestic deployment in the Minnesota National Guard's 164-year history.

The soldiers and airmen are working in a variety of ways including escorting Minneapolis Fire Department teams and providing security for the Minnesota State Patrol at traffic control points.

The Minnesota National Guard currently has more than 13,000 members serving in 61 communities across the state.