Thousands Rally in Washington Against Federal Control of Police

(MENAFN) On Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets of Washington, DC, in one of the largest protests opposing US President Donald Trump’s move to place the city’s police under federal command and send National Guard forces throughout the capital.

The “We Are All D.C.” march united a coalition of advocacy groups, civil rights organizations, and labor unions. Protesters assembled at Meridian Hill Park before proceeding on a more than two-mile march to Freedom Plaza, near the White House.

Throughout the demonstration, they chanted slogans such as “Troops go home” and carried signs with messages like “End the D.C. Occupation” and “Trump Must Go Now.”

Several speakers condemned the ongoing presence of federal law enforcement and military units, expressing concerns that Washington’s status without statehood leaves it exposed to unilateral federal decisions.

Janeese Lewis George, a DC Council member, led chants emphasizing the city’s inclusive spirit, stating it “embraces, not excludes,” and urged for full statehood as a means to safeguard residents’ rights.

Other voices, including leaders of labor and immigrant rights groups, spoke out against the impact of the federal deployment on communities of color and small local businesses.

One activist, speaking through a megaphone, accused security forces of "criminalizing our existence" and attempting to “wipe us out,” while also condemning the “kidnapping and detaining our immigrant community” and their “participation and capitulation” to the administration’s “racist and reactionary agenda.”

On August 11, Trump declared a crime emergency in the capital, directing the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and sending over 2,000 troops, including support from Republican-led states.

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