This year has been a lively one here in Louisville. We usually have the National Guard in town for the Kentucky Derby every year but they're usually not carrying rifles. This year they were in town several times more than normal and their presence was a lot more contentious.
It seemed a bit insane to see military vehicles and troops with rifles marching through the streets of town. Not all the guardsmen were carrying rifles though, some were carrying riot shields just like LMPD and the Kentucky State Police.
All in all the guard was less hostile and aggressive than LMPD, at least in my encounters with them. All these photos are from their first visit of the year, partway through that they shot and killed a local business owner at 26th and Broadway.
The guard mostly just backed the police up, posting up behind them as they faced off with protesters. At night they would also use their vehicles (both humvees and medium trucks) to block intersections downtown and shut down all traffic going in or out.
Who else got to experience the 'fun' of curfews and National Guard in the streets this summer?