BOSTON (State House News Service) — Massachusetts will be sending 500 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to assist with security for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, which is being planned for next week in the wake of a violent assault on the Capitol.
With the FBI and other law enforcement agencies warning about the risk of further violence, Baker said Massachusetts has agreed to send reinforcements to the capital. The governor also signed an order activating up to 500 additional troops to support state and local security efforts in Massachusetts, and those troops will be deployed "at the request of, and in coordination with, the communities seeking support."
"We will be sending Guard personnel to Washington, D.C. as part of the force that they're putting together for the inaugural festivities," Baker said Thursday at a press conference on small business relief held a North End restaurant.
Federal law enforcement has also warned that state capitols and government buildings could be targets for violence in the lead-up to the inauguration next Wednesday, according to the New York Times, but state officials, including Baker, have said there are no known threats against the State House or elsewhere in Massachusetts.
Baker has condemned the attack on the Capitol by a mob of President Trump supporters and backed Wednesday's second impeachment of Trump, who he has blamed for spreading lies about the outcome of the 2020 election.
"I think it's incredibly important for the country that this transition be as smooth and uneventful as possible," he said.
By Matt Murphy, State House News Service
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