LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) -- San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore asked the National Guard to support local law enforcement officers in keeping looters and rioters from destroying properties amid demonstrations against police brutality and racism.
The City of La Mesa posted a message saying a portion of the guard would respond to the city Wednesday night.
The new rules and assistance of the National Guard were requested in La Mesa after what started out as peaceful demonstrations turned violent Saturday night when several banks and vehicles were set on fire, and numerous businesses were ransacked.
In a post on Twitter late Wednesday, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office announced that 200 members of the California Army National Guard are in the county following a request from Gore.
"They will work alongside law enforcement providing security to critical infrastructures (public buildings, courthouses, power grids, etc.) during the protests to prevent looting & arson," the sheriff's office said. "This mutual aide will help keep our communities safe while protecting everyone's right to protest."
One hundred National Guard members were deployed to La Mesa, with the other 100 assigned to other parts of the county.
The news comes as cities throughout the county enforce a days-long curfew.
Wednesday night, the City of La Mesa is under a curfew from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. According to the city, the rule will be in effect through June 8.
Read the full message from the City of La Mesa below:
San Diego County has requested the National Guard assist with security in the region due to the recent civil unrest.. A portion of them will be responding to La Mesa this evening. You may also see them throughout the county.
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To clarify, this is a daily curfew: 7 PM through 5:30 AM each day through June 8. https://t.co/jWHFkdDgYM
— City of La Mesa, CA (@LaMesaCA) June 3, 2020
