"This is not martial law," Gen. Linda Singh, the commander of the Maryland National Guard, told cameras Monday night during the announcement of a week-long curfew and the arrival of 5,000 national guard troops. The forces she commands will take directions and orders from the police "in a support role." The police are ostensibly taking orders from the mayor and the governor.





GENERAL LINDA SINGH, NATIONAL GUARD: I would highly recommend that we all take cover for the night and actually go to sleep. Get some rest and let things settle down so we can restore order to the city. We are going to be out in massive force, and that just basically means that we are going to be patrolling the streets in order to ensure that we are protecting property.



We are in a supporting mode, so if there are any questions about martial law, this is not martial law. Martial law means that at that point the military fully takes over, so we have not reached that point. I repeat not reached that point. We are in support of the police department, and are taking our direction from the police department as to where we are going to go out to support them.

A stunned looking Gov. Larry Hogan stands behind her.