New York to deploy Guard troops in D.C.

Official says agencies helping secure capital

WASHINGTON — New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is sending

1,000 members of the state’s National Guard to Washington, D.C., to help “the peaceful transition of presidential power.”

Cuomo, a Democrat, said 1,000 troops would be sent for up to two weeks at the request of U.S. National Guard officials. It comes after a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters rampaged through the U.S. Capitol.

Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday: “For 244 years, the cornerstone of our democracy has been the peaceful transfer of power, and New York stands ready to help ensure the will of the American people is carried out, safely and decisively.”

They will join law enforcement from Virginia, Maryland and

New Jersey coming to D.C.’S aid.

Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said the violent pro-trump protest at the U.S. Capitol was an “intolerable attack on a fundamental institution” of democracy.

Rosen said Wednesday that the Justice Department has been working with U.S. Capitol Police and other federal law enforcement agencies to secure the Capitol. He said hundreds of federal agents from Justice Department agencies were sent to help.

He called it an “unacceptable situation” and said federal prosecutors “intend to enforce the laws of our land.”

The Republican National Committee said it condemns the violence at the Capitol, adding that the violent scenes “do not represent acts of patriotism, but an attack on our country and its founding principles.”

The RNC is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform.

“What happened today was domestic terrorism,” said the group’s communications director, Michael Ahrens.

He said to see the U.S. flag used “in the name of unfounded conspiracy theories is a disgrace to the nation, and every decent American should be disgusted by it.”

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued a curfew for two inner suburbs of northern Virginia as authorities sought to gain control after rioting at the U.S. Capitol.

The curfew applies from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday in Arlington County and the city of Alexandria, which are across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital. The curfew coincides with a similar order in the District of Columbia.

Northam said he issued the order at the request of local officials.

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson confirmed that the city requested the curfew.

Virginia sent local and state police to the District to provide aid. Violating the curfew is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.