Hundreds of unarmed National Guard troops have been called into Washington, D.C. to help protect historical monuments after protesters tried to topple a statue of Andrew Jackson during a night of demonstrations in the nation's capital. US Defense officials on Wednesday confirmed the Interior Department requested assistance earlier this week after demonstrators targeted statues and established a so-called 'Black House Autonomous Zone' near the White House. Photos taken at Lafayette Park on Wednesday showed the bronze statue of President Andrew Jackson behind a high fence reinforcing a security perimeter. The National Guard in Washington D.C. is the only one in the country that reports to Trump, with the authority delegated to the Army secretary. The barricade for the 'Black House Autonomous Zone' pictured in Lafayette Park pictured, echoing Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.

Source: Daily Mail June 24, 2020 17:59 UTC