CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker has activated the Illinois National Guard ahead of a verdict expected in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged with George Floyd’s death.
The move was in response to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s request.
Pritzker’s office said Monday that 125 personnel will be deployed starting Tuesday to support Chicago police. Their limited mission will include helping to manage street closures during demonstrations.
Former office Derek Chauvin, who is white, is accused in the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man. Chauvin pinned his knee against Floyd’s neck last May. Video footage of the death prompted protests and calls for racial justice across the country. The case went to the jury Monday.
