Minnesota National Guard Protect Capitol

May 29 - The Largest Deployment of the Minnesota National Guard Since WWII

June 1 - A Threat to Storm and Burn the Minnesota State Capitol

On Thursday, May 28, Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order to activate the Minnesota National Guard in response to the extensive damage to public and private property in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The National Guards mission was to support state and local law enforcement for the protection of Minnesotan’s safety and maintain the peace in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

By midday Saturday, May 30, 2,500 airman and soldiers were deployed and a full authorization of 7,000 – 10,000 Nation Guard troops were available to protect people, property and restore order in Minneapolis and St. Paul. This action is the largest deployment in the 164-year history of the Minnesota National Guard since World War II.

On Monday, June 1, Politico reported that a memo sent out on Friday, May 29, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to law enforcement officials warned that “suspected anarchist extremists and militia extremists allegedly planned to storm and burn the Minnesota State Capitol. Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schenell would not confirm or deny the threat to the Capitol.