Kemp Extends Emergency Order; National Guard Troops To Remain

ATLANTA, GA — The sight of National Guard troops on Atlanta streets are here to stay — for now. On Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp extended the emergency order he first signed on July 6, a move intended to put up 1,000 National Guard troops in Atlanta in order to confront "unlawful assemblage and violence" directed at state buildings.

This is the second time Kemp has issued an extension of the emergency order. The latest extension expires August 10.

Kemp first signed the order after a weekend of violent incidents in Atlanta, including the shooting death of an 8-year-old girl and vandalism at the Georgia State Patrol headquarters.

Candice Broce, a spokeswoman for the governor's office, said the National Guard troops will continue protecting state buildings as part of their mission to "preserve the peace and ensure public safety," the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

On Saturday, one day after Kemp signed the extension, protesters massed at the Atlanta field office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Videos uploaded to Twitter show the group damaging the exterior of the building, smashing windows, and deploying fireworks.