A heavy federal law enforcement presence in Washington, DC, drew angry crowds Wednesday night as President Donald Trump’s controversial takeover of the city’s police force entered its third day.
Along the busy 14th Street corridor, known for its bars and restaurants, CNN observed police and federal agents pulling over cars at a traffic checkpoint, with at least one person handcuffed and detained. Residents lined the sidewalks, hurling insults at officers for more than two hours.
“Shame,” one man shouted. “You are the criminals.” Others yelled at masked agents: “Take off your mask!”
The checkpoint, manned by DC police, Homeland Security Investigations officers, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, was described as “routine” by a police commander on scene. But longtime residents insisted they had never seen anything like it.
“This never happened — not even during the worst of Covid when crime was terrible,” said one woman who has lived in the neighborhood for 17 years.
Another resident, Mara Lasko, held up a sign warning drivers of “ICE” ahead. “This just makes people angrier,” she told CNN.
Trump has framed the federal takeover as a crackdown on crime, despite city data showing violent crime has declined since 2023. He has also floated extending federal control of DC’s police beyond 30 days, telling reporters: “If it’s a national emergency, we can do it without Congress.”
The White House said 43 people were arrested Tuesday night under the new joint task force of federal agents and local police. Since the crackdown began last week, more than 100 arrests have been reported.
Meanwhile, a “significantly higher” National Guard presence is expected to expand in the capital, with troops shifting from a nighttime role to around-the-clock deployment. On Wednesday evening, armored vehicles were already spotted near the Washington Monument, though Guard members had not been authorized to carry weapons. Officials say they are tasked with providing logistical support and a “visible presence,” not arrests.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has sharply criticized the federalization of her city’s police, urged residents to stay calm.
“I know people have democracy concerns, and they want to express themselves,” she said. “This is still America. This is still our nation’s capital.”
Source: CNN
