The Arizona National Guard says it has activated more than 1,400 troops across the state in the past week — up from just over 100 last Saturday.
The state guard’s commander, Maj. Gen. Michael McGuire, says he received requests for assistance from nine cities statewide after the vandalism and looting at Scottsdale Fashion Square mall on Saturday. This, combined with the troops activated to assist in the COVID-19 pandemic response, makes for what McGuire says is the largest activation of his troops in nearly 20 years.
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"All in, we have 1,421 Guardsmen on duty today, up from 122 on Saturday," McGuire said. "I can tell you that never in the history of the National Guard since 9/11 have we deployed as many people forward into a foreign nation as we have deployed in the last 12 weeks here in the great state of Arizona."
Maj. Aaron Thacker, an Arizona National Guard spokesman, says the troops were activated "in support of law-enforcement efforts to enable an environment for our citizens to safely exercise their First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble."
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Since imposing a statewide curfew, Gov. Doug Ducey says peace has mostly returned to the streets. There have been four consecutive nights without arrests, and demonstrations have remained peaceful and have ended by the 8 p.m. curfew. Ducey faced criticism for applying the curfew order statewide, and the Holbrook Police Department publicly announced it would not enforce it. Ducey defended his decision, saying there were pockets of violence all over the state.
"We did have incidents in Yuma County, Yavapai, Prescott Valley, Mohave County, Tucson, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler and the West Valley," Ducey said. "[Looting in Scottsdale] is not going to happen again. That's the intention. That's why the statewide curfew was issued, that's why the National Guard was brought in."
The curfew expires at 5 a.m. Monday.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story indicated that the National Guard troops would be helping enforce the governor's curfew. The National Guard is supporting law-enforcement efforts to allow citizens to safely demonstrate but is not carrying out law-enforcement responsibilities.
