I agree that it is a precursor, but designed to prevent another summer of "mostly peaceful protests" which destroy and harm communities.
I'm not in favor of federalizing state national guard units unless absolutely necessary but I think that whenever the allegedly peaceful protestors feel free to throw bricks, set fires and make every effort to subvert legal actions by federal agents, someone has to step up and support order and the rule of law. I don't find it disgusting at all to do so, nor does the vast majority of our citizenry in general or the specific citizens of the protest sites.