Dissent in A Police State: How D.C. is Fighting Back

Anyone who has lived in Washington, D.C. knows that, unlike New York or Los Angeles, it is not a city known for its food or fashion, but for its unwavering passion for policy, and its residents’ proclivity for vocalizing that passion. Living in D.C. means that your brunch may be interrupted by a protest for Tibetan independence (I had that happen on Sunday morning) or that you might find yourself amidst a crowd of climate activists on your way to the metro. Since I moved here two years ago, I’ve spent many of my weekends and evenings participating in protests both large and small. Whether protesting wars abroad or mass layoffs of government workers, taking to the streets is an effective and powerful way to send a message to our elected officials.

According to Erica Chenoweth, a renowned political scientist, nonviolent protests are more effective in leading to policy change than violent campaigns or armed conflict. In her research, she found that when just 3.5% of a nation’s population engages in nonviolent civic action like protest, it will lead to drastic political change. Many of the cases Chenoweth researched were protests targeting authoritarian regimes in countries without laws protecting the right to dissent. In contrast, the right to protest is central to the United States’ legal and civic structure, even as that structure has not always been equally offered to all. As evidenced by Chenoweth’s research, collective and nonviolent action is impactful and has the potential to change harmful policies and uproot deeply embedded systems of power. Therefore, it should come as no surprise when authoritarian governments take drastic actions to curtail protests. 

In a move reminiscent of the deployment of the National Guard to quell peaceful protests in Los Angeles (which has been ruled illegal by a federal judge in California, though that same judge has decided not to issue an immediate decision on California’s request to bar the use of 300 Guard troops), and his utilization of National Guard troops against Black Lives Matter protestors in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, President Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C. on August 11th and took control of the city’s police force. The administration claimed this was all part of an effort to crack down on crime, despite statistics showing crime trending downward over the past two years. In reality, the move to infiltrate civic space with federal troops and to take control of D.C. (and potentially other cities) is an escalation of authoritarian tactics that threatens to upend our democratic rights and denigrate a quintessential American ideal. Although the administration hoped the presence of federal troops would intimidate residents and stop us from vocally opposing policies like mass deportation, it has done the opposite.  

Protestors put up a “No Martial Law, D.C. Statehood Now” sign at Freedom Plaza during the We Are All D.C. march on September 6, 2025.

Since the takeover, residents have banded together to try to protect the most vulnerable in our community and resist federal control of the city. For instance, immigration enforcement has rapidly expanded during the takeover, with ICE setting up checkpoints throughout the city and conducting mass raids in D.C. neighborhoods. Mutual aid organizations and grassroots activists have worked to create sophisticated systems to notify residents about the presence of ICE in different areas, to disseminate Know Your Rights materials, and to provide other essential resources for immigrant communities in the city. 

On Saturday, September 6th, I joined thousands of protestors who all went to D.C.’s Malcolm X Park to protest the federal takeover and cruel attacks on immigrants. Carrying homemade signs, walking dogs, and chanting in English and Spanish, we all marched together to defend the place we call home. It was a far cry from the picture of a crime-ridden, run-down city that the administration has tried to paint. 

Protestors march down 16th street in Washington, D.C. at the We Are All D.C. march on September 6, 2025.

Although the federalization of the police department expired, the city government caved to federal pressure and has agreed to cooperate with the federal government on all law enforcement activities indefinitely – a dangerous capitulation to this administration’s efforts to undermine D.C. local rule, and to carry out its cruel and often illegal immigration enforcement campaign. Residents of D.C. see this for what it is – a ridiculous and deeply dangerous powergrab by a “wannabe” dictator that will not stop with our city, but will spread like an infection across our nation. We see what this administration is trying to take from us, and we’re not backing down. We’re going to continue disrupting brunches, walks to the metro, and authoritarian overreach at every opportunity. That’s just who we are as a city.

In D.C. and across the country, it is imperative that we continue vocally opposing harmful policies and taking to the streets to protest the undermining of our rights. Indifference and acquiescence are what this administration wants – and if we want to uphold our democracy, we can’t back down to them.

To learn more about how you can get involved in protecting the right to dissent and to learn about anti-protest laws in your area and how to fight back, you can use our legislation tracker and toolkit and get involved in protest movements near you.