U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the South Carolina

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the South Carolina National Guard support the District of Columbia National Guard in the nation's capital June 4, 2020, directing traffic and assisting with crowd control during protests. When the South Carolina National Guard is activated in response to providing support to protests, it is in order to assist with maintaining citizen safety and peace and to deter violence. The mission of the South Carolina National Guard in D.C. is to support the District of Columbia National Guard service members assisting local law enforcement with crowd control, general security, and patrols for continued public safety and critical infrastructure security. When the South Carolina National Guard is activated for these missions, it is not intended to deter citizens from peacefully protesting, rather it is a means to help support an environment where citizens feel safe to exercise their rights and freedoms. The South Carolina National Guard will provide assistance in maintaining citizen safety and peace at protests in support of the District of Columbia National Guard for as long as needed. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Erica Jaros, South Carolina National Guard)