D.C. Residents Protest Federal Takeover, National Guard Surge

Residents in a Washington, D.C., neighborhood lined up Wednesday to protest a surge in police and National Guard presence, after the White House announced around-the-clock federal patrols and a ramp-up of troops in the capital.

The backlash came after law enforcement set up a vehicle checkpoint along the busy 14th Street NW corridor, where hecklers shouted “Go home, fascists” and some protesters urged drivers to turn away. The move followed President Donald Trump’s unprecedented order to assume control of the city’s police department for at least a month.

D.C.’s Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser has called the takeover “unsettling” and “unprecedented,” describing it as an “authoritarian push” even while acknowledging the boost to public safety. Trump insists crime is at “emergency levels” despite city statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low after a spike two years ago.

Federal officers began appearing in scattered areas earlier this week, with a major increase expected Wednesday at the Guard’s armory. Homeland Security agents patrolled the U Street corridor, DEA officers were spotted on the National Mall, and FBI agents monitored Massachusetts Avenue.

The White House said 1,450 federal and local officers made 43 arrests Tuesday night—mostly traffic stops—up from about two dozen the night before. D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson dismissed the arrests as “a normal Saturday night in any big city” and is rallying congressional allies to block any Trump request to extend control beyond the 30 days allowed by law.

Since last week’s surge began, more than 100 arrests have been made, with seven illegal firearms seized. The president has activated up to 800 National Guard troops, though officials have not detailed their law enforcement training. Trump’s plan also includes clearing homeless encampments, with Park Police having removed dozens of tents since March.

The federal move comes despite a nationwide drop in violent crime since pandemic-era peaks. D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith noted the department is short nearly 800 officers, and the added federal presence may temporarily fill that gap. Still, residents like Sheina Taylor say the heavy security feels intimidating: “It’s more fearful now… even though you’re a law-abiding citizen, you don’t know—especially because I’m African American.”