The statue of former US Presides Andrew Jackson is cleaned after demonstrators tried overnight to tear it down in Lafayette Park in Washington, DC, on June 23, 2020. – US President Trump on his way to Arizona warned that protesters who attempted to establish an “autonomous zone” in the US capital would be met with “serious force,” following a night of protests at Lafayette Square where a crowd of protestors tried to topple the statue of Jackson. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Four hundred members of the D.C. National Guard are on standby in the capital, prepared to protect monuments if demonstrators target them again.
The members were sent to the DC Armory and none had been sent to monuments, said LTC Chris Mitchell, a spokesman for the Pentagon, said early Wednesday afternoon.
Monday night, a group of protesters had vandalized a statue of former President Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square outside the White House. Some scaled the statue, tied ropes around it and moved to pull it down.
U.S. Park Police officers with batons and protective shields pushed the crowd back. The officers used pepper spray, the National Park Service confirmed.
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters pull down a fence surrounding the statue of Andrew Jackson in an attempt to pull the statue down in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over police brutality, racial injustice and the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protestors attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Secret Service members stand watch atop the White House as protesters gather in Lafayette Square on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protesters attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square. Protests continue around the country over police brutality, racial injustice and the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over police brutality, racial injustice and the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over police brutality, racial injustice and the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protestors clash with U.S. Park Police after protestors attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters clash with U.S. Park Police after protesters attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: A woman reacts to being hit with pepper spray as protesters clash with U.S. Park Police after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: A man is tended to after protestors clashed with U.S. Park Police after protestors attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters flee after clashing with U.S. Park Police after attempting to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over police brutality, racial injustice and the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police stand guard after protesters attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis /Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters watch a line of policemen in front of Lafayette Park near the White House, in Washington, DC on June 22, 2020. – A crowd of protestors tried to topple the statue of former US president General Andrew Jackson near the White House in the evening of June 22 as police responded with pepper spray to break up new demonstrations that erupted in Washington. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
TOPSHOT – Policemen look through their shields as they and others members of their team are keeping protesters from entering Lafayette Park near the White House, in Washington, DC on June 22, 2020. – A crowd of protestors tried to topple the statue of former US president General Andrew Jackson near the White House in the evening of June 22 as police responded with pepper spray to break up new demonstrations that erupted in Washington. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: Protesters gather on Black Lives Matter Plaza after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 22: U.S. Park Police keeps protesters away after they attempted to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests continue around the country over the deaths of African Americans while in police custody. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The National Guard soldiers activated this week will not be armed, but will serve as "uniformed deterrence" in support U.S. Park Police in protecting any key monuments to prevent any defacing or destruction, Mitchell said.
According to the Pentagon, the Guard's role is to help maintain street and park closures and manage any crowds.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy approved the deployment, Mitchell said.
Since protests against police brutality and racism erupted in the wake of George Floyd's killing in the custody of Minneapolis police, protesters across the nation have torn down or defaced statues of Confederate generals or figures such as Christopher Columbus.
The demonstration against the Andrew Jackson statue, in sight of the White House, provoked the ire of President Donald Trump.
Trump threatened any protesters who vandalized a statue up to a decade in prison under a federal law protecting monuments of members of the U.S. armed forces.
On Tuesday night, protesters held a peaceful rally around a statue of Abraham Lincoln standing over an emancipated Black man. The demonstrators called for its removal.
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has requested the U.S. Park Service remove the statue, but urged protesters not to take action themselves.
Federal forces' policing of Black Lives Matter protests in the District during the first weeks of June drew sharp criticism, especially after tear gas was used at points and a helicopter hovered low over demonstrators.
Officials say about 1,200 D.C. Guard members were deployed during that unrest, alongside more than 3,000 Guard members from other states.
Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.
