DC Residents Protest Trump's Federal Takeover of Police Department and National Guard Deployment

Scores of protesters marched through Washington, DC, on Saturday, denouncing President Donald Trump's decision to take control of the city's police department and deploy National Guard troops to the capital. The protesters, holding signs that read "protect DC home rule" and "stop the Trump takeover," journeyed from Meridian Hill Park to Freedom Plaza near the White House to express their opposition to what they see as an authoritarian push to control the district.

Key Takeaways:

• The protest, titled "We Are All DC," was held against President Trump's federal takeover of the city's police department and deployment of National Guard troops to the capital.
• The protesters expressed concerns that Trump's actions are an attempt to intimidate DC residents and undermine the city's home rule.
• DC's violent crime rate has plummeted in the last decades, reaching its lowest level since 1966 in 2024, according to CNN's previous report.
• The National Guard deployment is estimated to cost roughly $1 million a day, according to experts.
• Protesters also expressed disapproval of the Trump administration's ICE raids, arguing that they are inhumane and pull families apart.
• Some participants argued that the millions spent on ICE and National Guard deployments could be better spent on more diplomatic and humane solutions to immigration issues.

Statistics:

• DC's violent crime rate has plummeted in the last decades, reaching its lowest level since 1966 in 2024.
• The National Guard deployment is estimated to cost roughly $1 million a day.
• The vast majority of protesters expressed opposition to Trump's actions, citing concerns about the erosion of DC's home rule and the intimidation tactics used by the National Guard.

Sources:

• CNN (no date given)
• CNN's previous report on DC's violent crime rate (no date given)