WASHINGTON D.C., Jan. 18, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah National Guard soldiers visited the Martin Luther King Jr. monument in Washington, D.C. Monday.
“‘The time is always right to do the right thing.’ Today we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.,” said a Facebook post from the Utah National Guard.
The monument, in West Potomac Park next to the National Mall, covers four acres and includes the Stone of Hope, a granite statue of Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. carved by sculptor Lei Yixin.
“National Guard soldiers and airmen from several states traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th presidential inauguration,” the post said.
The Utah National Guard has deployed approximately 350 service members to Washington D.C. for the inauguration scheduled for Wednesday.
Soldiers started arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland Friday.
“The service members will be there to protect lives, preserve property, protect critical infrastructure, and the right to peacefully assemble,” said a previous news release from the Utah National Guard.
