Hundreds Protest Trump's Federalization of DC Police, National Guard

President Trump announced his plan to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., and deploy the National Guard to address crime in the city, invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to justify the takeover. The move sparked protests near the White House, with hundreds of residents and advocacy groups like Free DC opposing what they see as an overreach of federal power that threatens the District's autonomy and home rule. Demonstrators expressed concerns about the erosion of local control and warned against authoritarian tendencies in seizing the capital's policing. While some residents, especially from areas affected by crime, expressed cautious support for stronger safety measures, many others pointed to crime statistics showing a decline and viewed the federal intervention as unnecessary and potentially harmful. The protests were marked by calls to protect democracy and preserve the rights of D.C. residents, emphasizing that the city belongs to its people, not federal authorities. The federal takeover is part of President Trump's broader tough-on-crime agenda, following similar deployments in other cities.