With the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin now in deliberations, members of the Minnesota National Guard are deployed in the Twin Cities to protect people, property and the First Amendment right of protesters, a National Guard spokesperson tells CNN.
"The MN National Guard’s mission is to protect people, prevent property destruction, and preserving first amendment rights," Lt. Col. Scott Hanks told CNN.
"The Guard will be assigned roles by the Minneapolis Police Department in areas throughout the city to deter acts of violence and free up law enforcement to perform their role where it is needed most. Additionally, we will be ensuring the cities EMS and Fire departments are able to safely get to and conduct their life saving missions throughout the city. This city, these communities are where we live and work, we want to keep them safe," he continued.
Asked if the National Guard was allowed to make arrests, the spokesperson said that their mission places them together or in close proximity with law enforcement at all times, and while operating "under [law enforcement] direction and authority, the [National Guard] has limited ability to detain," Lt. Col. Hanks said.
Hanks added that the National Guard "has not issued and will not use any riot control agents, nor less than lethal munitions. Those capabilities reside with law enforcement."
As CNN has reported, with the Chauvin trial underway in Minneapolis and consecutive nights of unrest on the streets of nearby Brooklyn Center following the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright, more than 3,000 Minnesota National Guard members have now been activated in the Twin Cities area.