Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Washington, DC, on Saturday in one of the largest protests against US President Donald Trump’s decision to place the capital’s police force under federal control and deploy National Guard troops across the city.

The “We Are All DC” march, organized by a coalition of civil rights organizations, labor unions, and advocacy groups, began at Meridian Hill Park and continued for over two miles to Freedom Plaza, just blocks from the White House. Protesters carried signs reading “End the DC Occupation” and “Trump Must Go Now,” chanting slogans such as “Troops go home.”

Local officials and community leaders voiced concern over Washington’s vulnerability as a non-state, arguing that the lack of statehood enabled unilateral action by the federal government.

DC Council member Janeese Lewis George led chants during the march, stating that the city “embraces, not excludes,” while calling for statehood to protect the rights of residents in the United States capital.

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Labor leaders and immigrant rights activists also condemned the presence of federal law enforcement, citing harmful effects on marginalized communities and small businesses.

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"They criminalized our existence and they want to wipe us out," one activist declared through a megaphone, criticizing security forces' "kidnapping and detaining our immigrant community" and their "participation and capitulation" to the administration's "racist and reactionary agenda."

Federal deployment sparks legal and political backlash

On August 11, Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, ordering the federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department and sending more than 2,000 National Guard troops, with many reinforcements from Republican-led states.

While the administration claimed that the operation resulted in nearly 2,000 arrests, the seizure of 200 firearms, and the dismantling of homeless encampments, city officials pointed to data showing that crime had already been decreasing before the intervention. Trump dismissed these findings as false.

Magistrate judges and local officials have criticized the Justice Department over the handling of cases, accusing it of overcharging residents and violating civil rights. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit to block the federal deployment, calling it unconstitutional.

Read more: Chicago mayor says no police aid for National Guard or federal agents

Broader implications of Trump policies nationwide

The Washington protest comes amid broader fears of federal crackdowns in other Democratic-led cities.

Donald Trump has suggested expanding these measures to Chicago, echoing similar actions previously taken in Los Angeles. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the threats, calling the US president a would-be “dictator” in a social media post.

The rally ended with renewed calls for resistance. Organizers vowed continued protests to oppose what many described as a federal occupation of Washington and a dangerous precedent set by current Trump policies.