Abbott sends Texas National Guard to maintain peace as anti-ice protests spread
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed the National Guard statewide ahead of more anti-ICE protests.
Abbott announced the move in a post on Wednesday about X, with protests erupting in parts of Texas and throughout the United States this week.
“The Texas National Guard will be deployed to locations across the state to ensure peace and order,” Abbott wrote in the Post. “Peaceful protests are legal. Injuring a person or property is illegal and will result in arrests. @texasguard will use every tool and strategy to help law enforcement maintain order.”
It is not clear where Abbott deploys the National Guard. Fox News Digital contacted the governor’s office for more details, but did not hear it immediately.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke to the media after signing a series of business-friendly bills at the Texas Capitol on May 14. (Sara Diggins / American-Statesman / USA Today Network via Imagen Images)
San Antonio Police Assistant Chief Jesse Salame told WOAI-TV that Chief William McManus confirmed the deployment of the National Guard troops to the city, although he added: “We have no other details about its deployment.”
This week, the heels of violent riots in Los Angeles held a major demonstration in Texas cities to protest federal immigration attacks.
In Austin, four police officers were injured in an attempt to disperse a crowd of hundreds of protesters who moved between the state Capitol and the federal building with ice chambers Monday night. Austin police used pepper spray balls and state police used tear gas when protesters began trying to destroy federal buildings with spray paint.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said three officers were injured when individuals started throwing “very large” rocks, while one in four were injured during the arrest.
“We support peaceful protests,” Davis said. “When protests change, when it turns to throwing rocks and bottles…this will not be tolerated. Arrests will be taken.”
Austin police arrested eight people and state police arrested five more.
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In Dallas, hundreds of protesters gathered near the Margaret Hunter Mountain Bridge on Monday night. FOX4 Dallas reported that the situation was sometimes tense, with people throwing water bottles, fireworks and rocks at police.
No officers were injured during the protest. Police arrested a man identified as 27-year-old Gerardo Velasquez Jr.
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More protests are planned in Dallas and Austin for Saturday, while demonstrations are planned in San Antonio on Wednesday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
