Thousands of national guards were ‘banished’ to a cramped parking garage after they were suddenly forced to leave parts of the U.S. Capitol site on Thursday.
Officials were told they could no longer access areas of the U.S. Capitol complex – including a Senate office cafeteria formerly used as a resting place – after tirelessly protecting the country’s capital in the days before. the presidential inauguration, according to Politico.
“We honestly just feel betrayed,” one Guardsman told the outlet. “After everything went so smoothly, we were considered useless and banished to a corner of a parking garage.”
A unit of 5,000 officers – called in after the deadly burglary at the US Capitol earlier this month – was forced to take a break in a nearby garage without internet reception, a single socket and only two bathrooms.
Photos show officers lying on the cement floor to rest and sleep while leaning against concrete pillars in the garage, making some officers angry.
“We feel incredibly betrayed,” a Guardsman said. ‘Yesterday, dozens of senators and congressmen walked through our lines to take photos, shook our hands and thanked him for our service. Within 24 hours they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage. ‘
About 25,000 National Guard troops were called to Washington DC from all 50 states to protect the city during President Joe Biden’s inauguration due to the growing security issues following the deadly siege of the US Capitol on January 6, which claimed the lives of five people. has.
Many of the officers used a cafe in the Dirksen Senate office building as a place to relax during breaks and have access to the internet, but to be ordered to evacuate the Capitol and nearby congress buildings on Thursday afternoon, the officers told the office.
The National Guard Bureau said the troop has been temporarily relocated because Congress is in session.
The National Guard continues to assist and support the U.S. Capitol Police. “As Congress is in session and more foot traffic and business is being done, the Capitol police have asked the troops to relocate,” the National Guard Bureau said in a statement. ‘They were temporarily moved to the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Center garage with heating and toilet facilities. We remain a mobile and flexible force to provide for the safety and security of the Capitol and its surrounding areas. ‘
But the incident caused outrage among some lawmakers who promised to find a way to stay inside the Capitol building.
“My office is available; the guard is welcome. There is a lot of space in the American Capitol for men and women that keeps us safe, ”said Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona). tweeted Thursday night.
A spokesman for the U.S. National Guard later told a FOX News reporter that troops will probably be moved to the Capitol Visitor Center amid outrage over the garage situation.