US President Donald Trump has warned US citizens not to protest during the upcoming military parade in Washington, organized to mark the 250th anniversary of the creation of the US military, Reuters reported, BTA reports.
“People who intend to protest will be met with great force“, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
Law enforcement agencies expect hundreds of thousands of citizens to watch the parade on Saturday, Secret Service Special Agent Matt McCool said. He specified that thousands of agents, employees and experts from various services across the country will be engaged in ensuring order during the event.
The FBI and the Washington police said that no credible threats against the event have been identified so far.
In an unscheduled statement from the Oval Office, President Trump also commented on his decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles. This measure was taken in response to protests sparked by actions by federal immigration authorities.
The president defended his actions, emphasizing that the deployment of troops was necessary to control the unrest. This was done despite objections from local and state authorities, who said that such intervention was not necessary.