Washington Residents Rally against US Troop Deployment
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Thousands of people in Washington, D.C., marched against US President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops, denouncing what they described as an authoritarian show of force and warning that the militarization of streets fuels division instead of peace.
Several thousand protesters joined the "We Are All D.C." march on Saturday, demanding an end to the troop presence in the capital.
Demonstrators carried banners reading "Trump must go now," "Free DC," and "Resist Tyranny," while chanting against US militarism and expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
"I'm here to protest the occupation of D.C.," said Alex Laufer.
"We're opposing the authoritarian regime, and we need to get the federal police and the National Guard off our streets."
Trump ordered troops into Washington last month, claiming it was necessary to restore “law, order, and public safety.”
He also placed the city’s Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control, sending in federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Critics denounced the move as a violation of democratic principles and an assault on civil rights.
Despite the heavy militarization, Justice Department data showed violent crime in Washington had already dropped to a 30-year low in 2024.
The D.C. National Guard, unlike state units, answers directly to the president, amplifying fears of unchecked power.
Trump signaled he would extend the crackdown to other Democratic-led cities, threatening Chicago with military-style deployments and even posting on his Truth Social platform: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning.”
The message, paired with an AI-generated war image, drew comparisons to US interventions abroad and was widely condemned by peace activists.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said he only learned from reporters that federal agents and military vehicles were being prepared for Chicago.
“What they’re trying to do in D.C. is what they’re trying to do with other dictatorships,” said Casey, a protester.
“They’re testing D.C., and if people tolerate it enough, they’re gonna do it to more and more areas. So we have to stop it while we still can.”
Over 2,000 troops from six Republican-led states remain stationed in Washington.
The Army has extended their mission through November 30, though it remains unclear when the occupation will end.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit to block the deployment, calling it unconstitutional.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, while noting a decline in crime since the troop surge, said she hoped the mission would end soon.
The protests continued as Trump spent the day golfing outside the capital, while Washington residents demanded peace, justice, and an end to what they see as the militarization of their streets.
