St Andrews – Since August 11, over 2,000 National Guard troops have patrolled the streets of America’s capital, following US President Donald Trump’s declaration of a crime emergency in the city.
The “Free DC” or “We are all DC” protests are in response to the recent heavy federal crackdown in Washington, DC The Trump administration has notoriously threatened to evict the homeless, deport immigrants, and eliminate crime with a heavy hand in many major American cities.
“I’m here to protest the occupation of DC,” one protestor told Reuters. “We’re opposing the authoritarian regime, and we need to get the federal police and the National Guard off our streets.”
DC residents sported posters reading “end the military occupation of DC.”
Regarding the larger “Free DC” movement, Samantha Millar, a member and long-time DC resident, talks about what these social movements mean for the city.
“DC has been through so much as a city – the people here are used to fighting for rights. The national guard has been deployed two times just in the seven or so years that I’ve been here,” she told Morocco World News. “That’s not to say this isn’t a clear sign of an authoritarian power grab, but it is to say that I have immense pride, faith and respect for my DC friends and neighbors. We won’t take this sitting down.”
Deep-seated grievances
The protests are reminiscent of the “No Kings” protests in June, which opposed Trump’s intimidating demonstration of American military weaponry, fascist policies, and similar federal crackdown on citizens.
A variety of grievances were further voiced in this weekend’s protests, by both official organizations and individuals.
Many “Free DC” protestors waved Palestinian flags and posters with pro-Palestine sentiments, emphasizing the public’s opposition to American government support of the Israel as it commits genocide.
Protestors also called for an end to the illegal detainment and deportation of immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The administration’s continued crackdown, increasing threat
The administration has responded to protestors with provocative statements and imagery. Trump has repeatedly threatened the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago next.
The National Guard is typically deployed in response to natural disasters and similar crises. Historically, the deployment of National Guard troops against the nation’s own citizens is highly taboo.
Though several politicians aligned with Trump claim the troops’ presence is beneficial, in a recent interview with CNN, National Guard soldiers said that they felt purposeless in DC, and that they were “falling fast.”
Opposition is not kept to merely the streets. In Congress, Democratic politicians strongly oppose Trump’s recent federal crackdown. Before conceding to the administration’s policies, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called Trump’s actions “unsettling and unprecedented.”
Human rights groups like Amnesty International claim that there is a serious threat of a “dangerous authoritarian playbook unfolding at shocking speed.”
