Murphy defends sending National Guard to D.C. amid police-brutality protests

2020-06-02 Murphy press briefing

Gov. Phil Murphy speaks during a briefing in Trenton on Tuesday.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

New Jersey was one of a few states to send National Guard troops to Washington D.C. this week as waves of demonstrators descended on the nation’s capital to protest police brutality and racial injustice — even though a number of Democratic governors reportedly declined.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday night defended the decision to send 85 of the Garden State’s members, saying it is a “short-term deployment” to help protect federal monuments and is slated to end Saturday morning.

“This was a very small and very short-lived deployment,” Murphy, a Democrat, said during his call-in radio show on WBGO in Newark, stressing that the assignment was “explicitly" to help guard places like the Washington monument and Lincoln and Jefferson memorials.

“That’s exactly what it’s been,” the governor added. “We had no interest, appetite, and we could not have signed on to anything other than that.”

Murphy also said the state was “very involved."

“Our very explicit intent was monitored and it has turned out exactly as we anticipated,” he said.

The deployment came as President Donald Trump drew controversy Monday for calling on governors to “dominate” protesters who have been demonstrating across the nation in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

At the same time, the Republican president sparked a backlash Monday night when demonstrators in front of the White House were cleared before Trump walked to a nearby church that had been damaged during the protests, where he photographed holding a Bible.

After media reports that authorities used tear gas to clear demonstrators, Trump and federal law enforcement officials denied using tear gas. The U.S. Park Service said pepper balls and smoke canisters was used instead.

Murphy on Tuesday fiercely criticized Trump for the incident, saying “the notion of using tear gas or smoke devices or rubber bullets on peaceful protestors in exchange for a photo op is disgraceful.”

Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah also sent National Guard troops to D.C. Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia reportedly declined.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he declined the Trump administration’s request because he won’t "send our men and women in uniform of our very proud National Guard to Washington for a photo op.”

A pair of U.S. Senate candidates in New Jersey have criticized Murphy, a self-avowed progressive, for sending troops. Lawrence Hamm, who is running for the Democratic nomination against U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, said he was “saddened” by the governor’s decision. Madelyn Hoffman, the Green Party candidate, said many residents are “appalled” by Murphy’s “very dangerous move.”

There have been dozens of largely peaceful protests in New Jersey in recent days, though a few cities have seen demonstrations include violence and looting.

Murphy has repeatedly praised those that have been peaceful, saying change is needed to help erase “systemic racism” in America.

He has also called on protesters to wear face coverings and practice social distancing as New Jersey continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

There have been some concerned the large mass gatherings could lead to new COVID-19 spikes. And Murphy has suggested that demonstrators get tested for the virus.

“We not only respect the right to protest, we hold up peaceful protests on a pedestal,” Murphy said Thursday at his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. “But please cover your face and try to stay clear of each other.”

Murphy was asked if state authorities will issue citations to organizers because the state is currently limiting outdoor gatherings to 25 people. A woman was charged with violating Murphy’s coronavirus lockdown orders after organizing a protest in Trenton last month to call on the governor to reopen the state.

“I think each protest is its own,” Murphy said Thursday. “I don’t think there’s a blanket answer to that. God willing, these all remain peaceful.”

He was also asked how these gatherings don’t render his lockdown orders “void” and if they could lead to a legal challenge.

“I think we’re saying essentially as long as (a protest is) peaceful, at least for the time being until we give more guidance, that we are acknowledging and accepting it,” Murphy said. “And we would ask folks to cover their faces and to keep social distancing.”

He added that the state’s outbreak continues to slow and he hopes officials will be able to increase the cap on outdoor gatherings “sooner than later.”

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

On Monday, Murphy drew a sharp distinction between police-brutality protests and the reopening demonstrations.

“I don’t want to make light of this, and I’ll probably get lit up by everyone who owns a nail salon in the state,” he said. “But it’s one thing to protest what day nail salons are opening, and it’s another to come out in peaceful protest, overwhelmingly, about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes."

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.