I have never seen your saw, Footski, but if it's like any other circular bench saw the guard will be fitted to the "writhing knife".
This is the steel hook like "blade" that comes up from under the saw bed, and is ment to part the piece of timber in two as you saw cut.
the timber by its own natural graining will either spring open or spring shut, as it is cut( one or the other way) and that writhing knife is ment to stop the wood pinching shut, trapping the blade and burning out the motor, or worse, thowing the timber up from the front of your blade and smacking you in the mouth.
For your and the machines safety that writhing blade SHOULD NOT BE DISMANTLED.
YOU CAN TAKE THE GUARD OFF AT YOUR RISK, BUT DON'T TAKE THAT BLADE OFF.
Neil.