National Guard Activated to Protect Minnesota Capitol

Minnesota National Guard

(KNSI) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order Wednesday afternoon activating the Minnesota National Guard for public safety and security assistance at the State Capitol in St. Paul, effective immediately.

In the executive order, Walz writes that “recent reports of planned armed protests around the country and at our State Capitol must be met with a strong and unequivocal response.”

The order remains in effect through January 27th or whenever the National Guard’s presence is no longer required, whichever comes sooner.

The order follows last week’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building in D.C. and a parallel protest at the state capitol on the same day. The FBI has previously warned Walz and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer about threats to those states’ capitols that could occur this weekend.

Separately, more than 130 Duluth-based National Guard soldiers will travel to D.C. this week to support security efforts at President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20th.