{"id":63756,"date":"2020-06-08T11:09:27","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T11:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/06\/08\/national-guard-to-begin-leaving-california-cities-as-george-floyd-protests-remain-peaceful\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:28:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:28:28","slug":"national-guard-to-begin-leaving-california-cities-as-george-floyd-protests-remain-peaceful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/06\/08\/national-guard-to-begin-leaving-california-cities-as-george-floyd-protests-remain-peaceful\/","title":{"rendered":"National Guard to begin leaving California cities as George Floyd protests remain peaceful"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LOS ANGELES \u2014 National Guard troops<\/a> will be pulled out of California cities where they have been deployed for a week after rampant violence and thievery marred the first days of protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, officials announced Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement came as peaceful demonstrations again popped up across the state, including a massive march through Hollywood, one on horseback in Compton and two that catered to children in the San Francisco Bay Area, as protesters continue to call for police reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move comes as thousands of National Guard troops from 11 states will begin departing Washington D.C. as protests there have calmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter nearly a week assisting civil authorities on the streets of California, soldiers with the California National Guard will begin transitioning back to their home armories,\u201d the Cal Guard said in a statement. A timeline for the pullout was not provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said some troops would begin departing Sunday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA small number of units will be stationed nearby until June 10 to provide emergency support if needed,\u201d Garcetti said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he\u2019d encourage local leaders to end their use of the Guard \u201cin an expeditious manner, but a very thoughtful manner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 7,000 National Guard troops were deployed to LA, San Francisco, Sacramento and other cities to assist local law enforcement, Cal Guard said. While the vast majority of protests have been peaceful, there were violent clashes with police and hundreds of businesses were vandalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd\u2019s neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground. Prosecutors say the officer murdered Floyd. His death prompted protests across the U.S.<\/a> and around the world <\/a>against police brutality and racial injustice.<\/p>\n\n\n\t