CHICAGO — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will give hold a news conference at 4:30 p.m. live from Chicago. You can watch the live briefing in the video player at the top of this page.
The governor announced an additional 250 National Guard members will help local law enforcement agencies across the state during protests over George Floyd's death.
On Sunday, the governor activated 375 National Guard soldiers at the request of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to help manage street closures in the city. The soldiers would not interfere with protests, the governor's office said in a Sunday release.
The additional soldiers announced Monday will help communities that have experienced a "surge in destructive action," Gov. Pritzker said.
The governor also announced an additional 300 Illinois State Police troopers will be activated to support the police response across the state. Those troopers are being tapped from several divisions at ISP, including justice services, forensic and criminal investigations.
He also issued a disaster proclamation for several counties across the state, including for Madison County, which will help resources coordinate a better response to the protests and any riots that happen.
Gov. Pritzker stressed the additional soldiers and troopers will help local law enforcement protect residents while also protecting the First Amendment rights of protesters.
However, he said the violence and looting will not be tolerated.
"We cannot allow those who have taken advantage of this moment to steal the voice of those expressing the need for real, meaningful change," the governor said Monday. "That will not be our story here in Illinois."
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