D.C. residents ‘make good trouble’ in push back against federal takeover of nation’s capital 

By Alexis Taylor
AFRO Managing Editor 

D.C. residents are continuing to speak out against the 47th president’s decision to bring National Guard troops to the streets of D.C.

On Aug. 11, in the name of fighting crime, Trump used an executive order and Section 740 of the Home Rule Act of 1973 to usurp control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and assign thousands of U.S. soldiers to the nation’s capital. 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has been clear that “crime levels are not only down from 2023, but from before the pandemic,” citing a 52 percent drop in violent crime since 2023, and a 35 percent drop from 2019 levels. Still, on Aug. 14, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sought to replace Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith with an “emergency police commissioner,” Terry Cole, who currently oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

Ultimately, Judge Ana C. Reyes disagreed with Bondi and on Aug. 15. she ordered that Chief Pamela Smith retain her role as MPD commissioner. Bondi followed up by issuing another order to “direct the Mayor to immediately provide for assistance with the enforcement of federal immigration law, as deemed necessary and appropriate by Administrator Cole.” 

In response to the president’s order, multiple states have also begun deploying their national guard troops to the capital, including Louisiana, South Carolina, Ohio and more. 

In a bold show of unity, thousands from all walks of life came together in the nation’s capital on Aug. 16 in protest of the new developments. 

After a spirited rally in Dupont Circle, protestors marched to the White House, speaking out against the Trump Administration and their recent actions in the District. 

Though Trump has already said he wants the takeover to last more than the 30 days allowed in the Home Rule Act of 1973, D.C. residents and citizens from surrounding areas have been frustrated with the tanks and the soldiers since day one. They are also publicly denouncing the use of officers from multiple federal agencies currently policing the streets with what they believe is unnecessary force.

Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler said he has witnessed the struggle between officers and the community with his own eyes. 

“While we were out there on 14th Street, the occupying law enforcement started attacking people and rounding them up and arresting them,” said Hagler, as he spoke to the crowd on Aug. 16. “I want you to know that it is not a hypothetical intellectual discussion, it is real. Our neighbors are being disappeared by people who are wearing masks and no identification. So when we stand up, we’re standing up for real issues.” 

Though Hagler encouraged those doing what they can to fight against the takeover, he also called out political leaders and those more concerned with religious affiliation and sexual orientation.

“The right is more efficient than the left,” he said. “The right comes together in their racism and in their hatred and in their own economic advancement. We, on the left, we like to major in minors. We get into arguments over the dumbest political issues. If we’re going to drive out this administration, we’d better find a way to put our differences aside and come together.” 

Though Black people were few and far between in the crowd, and two declined to comment out of fear of retribution, most of those asked did agree to speak with the AFRO.  

Washington, D.C. native April Dyson said she is concerned about interactions between the African-American community and federal officers–specifically when it comes to young, African-American males. 

“I don’t necessarily think that some police officers are necessarily able to engage with our population,” she said. 

Dyson also spoke on her concerns about Trump’s orders to clear homeless encampments around the city. According to an analysis of the Metropolitan Washington’s Council of Governments point-in-time count, this year’s survey “resulted in a total count of 9,659 individuals experiencing homelessness.” The D.C. The Department of Human Services noted that this “showed an overall 9 percent decrease from 2024.”

“I’m a Christian, so I absolutely believe that we take care of the people who are vulnerable and people who are homeless,” said Dyson. “I don’t believe we should clear unless we have a better alternative. I haven’t seen any plans for them yet.”

“We ought to feed the hungry. We ought to cloth the naked. I have no clue where it says that we should people go out and destroy people’s homes who live on the street.”

As she sat in traffic, Sheila Apolinario said she had no issue waiting in a line of cars as thousands of protestors marched by.

“I believe in no ICE– no national guard,” she said, referring to the Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents that have ramped up activity in the District. “I believe Trump must go. I don’t agree with any of his policies. I think he’s taking over our democracy. And I think he needs to be stopped before it gets worse.”

Sheila Carson said she was proud to join the protesters in D.C. to – in the words of the late Congressman John Lewis– “make good trouble.” 

“I’m here to take a stand for the D.C residents east of the river,” she said. 

Carson said that while the latest actions from the current presidential administration might be shocking to many in America– it’s far from new to those who are “60-ish,” like her. 

“The way that America’s being treated now is the way Black America have lived their lives. Simple as that,” she said. “They’re now feeling what we’ve felt all our lives– and they don’t like it. They don’t want to be policed. 
They don’t want to be told where to be, what to read, where to live. They don’t want that– and neither do we.” 

In a box: 

At the heart of Trump’s D.C. takeover is Section 740 of the Home Rule Act- but what does it say? Read below to find out: 

EMERGENCY CONTROL OF POLICE

SEC. 740.  

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the President of the United States determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal purposes, he may direct the Mayor to provide him, and the Mayor shall provide, such services of the Metropolitan Police force as the President may deem necessary and appropriate. In no case, however, shall such services made available pursuant to any such direction under this subsection extend for a period in excess of forty-eight hours unless the President has, prior to the expiration of such period, notified the Chairmen and ranking minority members of the Committees on the District of Columbia of the Senate and the House of Representatives, in writing, as to the reason for such direction and the period of time during which the need for such services is likely to continue. 

(b) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, such services made available in accordance with subsection (a) of this section shall terminate upon the end of such emergency, the expiration of a period of thirty days following the date on which such services are first made available, or the enactment into law of a joint resolution by the Congress providing for such termination, whichever first occurs. 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, in any case in which such services are made available in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section during any period of an adjournment of the Congress sine die, such services shall terminate upon the end of the emergency, the expiration of the thirty-day period following the date on which Congress first convenes following such adjournment, or the enactment into law of a joint resolution by the Congress providing for such termination, whichever first occurs. 

(d) Except to the extent provided for in subsection (c) of this section, no such services made available pursuant to the direction of the President pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall extend for any period in excess of 30 days, unless the Senate and the House of Representatives enact into law a joint resolution authorizing such an extension.