Thousands of national guards were “banned” into a tight parking lot after being abruptly forced to leave parts of the US Capitol grounds on Thursday, according to reports.
Officials were told that they could no longer access areas of the United States Capitol Complex – including a Senate office cafeteria previously used as a rest area – after tirelessly protecting the nation’s capital in the days leading up to the presidential inauguration, according to the Politico.
“Honestly, we just feel betrayed,” said a guard to the channel. “After everything went perfectly, we were considered useless and banished to a corner of a parking lot.”
A unit of 5,000 police officers – enlisted after the violent breach of the United States Capitol earlier this month – was forced to take breaks in a nearby garage with no internet reception, a single electrical outlet and just two bathroom cabins, the report said.
The photos seem to show policemen lying on the cement floor to rest and sleep against concrete pillars inside the garage, irritating some policemen.
“We feel incredibly betrayed,” said a guard. “Yesterday dozens of senators and deputies walked our lines taking pictures, shaking hands and thanking us for the service provided. In 24 hours, they didn’t need us anymore and banished us to the corner of a parking lot ”.
Approximately 25,000 National Guard soldiers were called to Washington DC from all 50 states to protect the city during President Joe Biden’s inauguration due to heightened security concerns following the January 6 siege of the US Capitol, which claimed the lives of five people.
Many of these officers were using a coffee shop in the Dirksen Senate office building as a place to relax during breaks and connect to the internet, only to be forced to vacate the Capitol and nearby Congress buildings on Thursday afternoon, they said. to the vehicle.
The National Guard Office said the troop was temporarily relocated because Congress is in session.
“The National Guard continues to assist and support the US Capitol Police. As Congress is in session and the increase in pedestrian and business traffic is being conducted, the Capitol Police have asked troops to move their rest area, ”the National Guard Office said in a statement. “They were temporarily relocated to the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Center garage with heating and bathrooms. We remain an agile and flexible force to ensure the safety and protection of the Capitol and its surroundings. “
But the incident sparked outrage among some lawmakers who vowed to find a way to stay inside the Capitol building.
“My office is available; the Guard is welcome. There is a lot of space on the US Capitol for the men and women who keep us safe, ”Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) tweeted Thursday night.
A US National Guard spokesman later told a FOX News reporter that troops will probably be moved to the Capitol Visitors Center amid outrage over the garage situation.