New Mexico Civil Guard
The New Mexico Civil Guard is a New Mexico-based militia that was founded by Bryce Provance in 2020 before he left the group later that year.
The group was covered by national news media in 2020 due to an incidental shooting at a protest in Albuquerque, New Mexico attended by militia members.
Presentation
file:200616014641-albuquerque-civil-guard-06152020.jpg|thumb|Two members of the New Mexico Civil Guard being arrested by officers of the Albuquerque Police Department SWATLike many groups within the American militia movement, they claim to be a gun politics in [the United States#Second Amendment rights|constitutional] group in the vein of the American Revolutionary War Patriot militias. Members arm themselves, rather than weapons being provided by the organization; AR-15–style rifles are common.
Style of dress similarly varies from member to member, usually consisting of a combat uniform or political uniform in a camouflage pattern with accessories such as balaclavas. There is a t-shirt often used with an icon printed on it resembling the devices on guidons of the Army Infantry, consisting of crossed rifles with 'NMCG' and a morion marked 'NM' at the top, III at the left, a Zia symbol on the right, and a decorative element at the bottom. The Civil Guard are not a unit within any branch of the United States armed forces, however.
2020 incident
During a protest taking place at La Jornada, a sculptural group depicting the settlement of New Mexico by Juan de Oñate and others, a man named Steven Ray Baca shot at protestors. A group of eight armed militia members at the protest were arrested and detained by law enforcement, then were released without any charges brought. Representatives of the militia stated that Baca had no connection with them. Both Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mayor Tim Keller accused the group of trying to intimidate protesters.Militia members made an appearance at several additional protests during 2020.