Maryland National Guard's New Riot Control Force
A National Guard spokesman stated that these on-call elements have been present in every state and territory for about 20 years as a response force available to governors.
Following a memo from a senior military official before the midterm elections, instructing all National Guard units to establish a reaction force for crowd and riot control, the Maryland National Guard emphasized readiness. They required hundreds of soldiers to be prepared to mobilize by April.
Concerns About Use of the Reaction Force
Former military personnel and lawmakers worry that this new reaction force could suppress peaceful protests or intimidate voters during elections. A public safety expert told The Baltimore Sun that deploying the National Guard to combat crime is unprecedented, expensive, and unwise.
Recent Protests and National Guard Involvement
Since President Donald Trump took office, “No Kings” demonstrations have emerged in most major U.S. cities, including Baltimore. These protests address issues like rising health care costs tied to Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed by Congress this summer, and the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
Trump has at times attempted to deploy the National Guard to suppress protests, such as the efforts in Portland to end daily protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility that became contentious.
“These on-call elements have existed for approximately 20 years in every state and territory as a response force available to governors.”
“No Kings” demonstrations have popped up in most major cities since President Donald Trump took office, including in Baltimore.
Author's summary: The Maryland National Guard’s new reaction force raises concerns about potential misuse for protest suppression and voter intimidation amid ongoing national demonstrations and political tensions.
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