NASHVILLE - An estimated 1,000 Tennessee National Guard members from the Knoxville-based 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment are being deployed this week to Washington, D.C., as widespread protests and unrest over police brutality and racism continue across the U.S.
The regiment spans much of East Tennessee and in the past any number of Chattanoogans and other Southeast Tennesseans have served in the 278th. State Military Department spokesman Chris Messina did not respond to a Times Free Press email inquiry about whether any area members have been called up.
Tennessee Adjutant General Jeff Holmes told reporters earlier on Tuesday that "through the night these soldiers have been alerted. They've been rallied. We received the call about one hour ago for their release and their mobilization. Again, under the authorization of [Gov. Bill Lee] we have entered the mobilization phase."
Holmes, a retired U.S. Army major general, said the call from National Guard headquarters in Washington came Monday afternoon with officials asking whether they had available forces to send.
The mobilization comes after a string of protests against police brutality and racism, both in the nation's capital and different cities across the U.S., including Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville. In a number of instances there has been violence. In Chattanooga on Saturday night, several altercations broke out between protesters and police, resulting in at least 11 arrests, The Times Free Press has reported. A water fountain at the Hamilton County Courthouse and the windows of some downtown businesses were broken. Two cars were burned.
Protests began erupting across the U.S. following the death last month of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the latest black American to die in an encounter with police.
In Nashville, members of the Tennessee National Guard made national news Monday as they laid down their shields at the request of peaceful protesters demonstrating at the state Capitol.
"It was absolutely spontaneous," Holmes told the Times Free Press on Tuesday, noting he was in contact with the commander on the ground, adding "we were looking for opportunities to downgrade" an escalation. "They [the crowd] presented that." Holmes said there were "some instigators in the crowd" but others stepped in and "cleaned that up themselves." And "then we saw this crowd is supportive of us."
In response, Holmes said "We lifted our face shields" as "really a subtle show of respect" and the crowd responded favorably.
Earlier, Lee, a Republican, said "I think what I saw was an expression of mutual trust when those guardsmen took down their shield and those protesters did not advance, that's an expression of mutual trust and that is an expression of true Americanism. That's the kind of attitude that can prevail and should prevail in these times through this crisis in our state.
"And," Lee added, "we hope that will be reflective of what will happen in America, in Washington, D.C., in any part of our country that needs protection of people and property."