Homeland Security Says It Will Secure Historic Landmarks From 'Anarchists'
The federal agency charged with preventing terrorist attacks and securing the border announced Wednesday that it would deploy personnel across the country to carry out President Trump's orders to protect statues and monuments from vandalism amid ongoing protests for racial justice.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the department has established a Protecting American Communities Task Force to secure historic landmarks against "violent anarchists and rioters."
"DHS is answering the President's call to use our law enforcement personnel across the country to protect our historic landmarks," Wolf said in a statement.
"I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence," Trump tweeted Friday afternoon.
Earlier this week, Wolf tweeted that the effort to protect monuments was being coordinated among DHS agencies, including the Federal Protective Service, Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration.
