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Last week, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the deployment of thousands of Maryland National Guard troops to stand watch over Baltimore in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death and the protests it sparked.

On Tuesday, the state of emergency placed on the city during the bout of unrest was lifted and the heavily armed guardsmen were ordered to file out. But in a Facebook post, uploaded to the page Tuesday night, the National Guard used a polarizing and disturbing image from their time in Baltimore as a recruiting tool.

“This is why I serve,” the post read. “In April 2015, over 2,500 of your brothers, sisters, and neighbors were called to help restore calm in the city of Baltimore. Contact your local recruiter by downloading our new Mobile App at App Store.”

It didn’t take long before people took notice, pointing out the police state residents lived under in the week-long state of emergency and the trauma armored vehicles, rifles, and militarized force will leave on residents for years to come.

“When I see them come with tanks and blocking off areas of our neighborhood, I’m not going to listen to someone who does not live here,” activist David Blair told ThinkProgress. Blair is an advocacy co-leader for New Lens, a youth group that focuses on art and activism.

The comments section reflected the same sentiment. In one post, a Facebook user wrote “to suppress the constitution?”

Do you think the National Guard should have used a different image in their recruitment post? Let us know below…

SOURCE: Facebook, ThinkProgress | PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook

SEE ALSO:

Cute Or Sad? Woman Who Snapped Viral Photo Of Little Girl Talking To Armed Guardsman Speaks Out

NewsOne Now State Of Emergency: Baltimore Activist Questions Whose Interests Cops Are Protecting & Serving

So This Happened: National Guard Uses Image From Baltimore For Recruitment Post On Facebook & People Aren’t Happy About It  was originally published on newsone.com