WASHINGTON

Thousands marched through Washington, DC, on Saturday in one of the largest demonstrations against US President Donald Trump’s decision to place the nation’s capital police under federal control and deploy National Guard troops across the city.

The “We Are All D.C.” march brought together a coalition of advocacy groups, civil rights organizations and labor unions. Demonstrators gathered at Meridian Hill Park before walking more than two miles to Freedom Plaza near the White House, chanting, “Troops go home,” and carrying banners that read: “End the D.C. Occupation” and “Trump Must Go Now.”

Speakers denounced the weeks-long presence of federal law enforcement and military patrols, warning that Washington’s lack of statehood left it vulnerable to unilateral decisions by the federal government.

DC Council member Janeese Lewis George led some of the chants, declaring that the city “embraces, not excludes,” and calling for full statehood to protect residents’ rights. Other speakers, including labor leaders and immigrant rights advocates, criticized the effect of the surge on communities of color and local businesses.

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

Trump declared a crime emergency in the capital on Aug. 11, ordering the federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying more than 2,000 troops, including reinforcements from Republican-led states.

His administration said the operation has led to nearly 2,000 arrests, the seizure of close to 200 firearms and the clearing of dozens of homeless encampments. City officials, however, point to data, which Trump dismisses as false, showing that criminal activity had already been declining before the federal intervention, with violent crime and property crime both down compared to last year.

The Justice Department has faced criticism from magistrate judges and local officials for the handling of cases during the policing surge, with accusations that residents have been overcharged and civil rights violated. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit this week seeking to block the deployment, arguing it was unconstitutional.

The march came as Trump signaled plans to expand federal crackdowns to other Democratic-led cities. He has repeatedly threatened to send National Guard troops and immigration enforcement teams to Chicago, echoing earlier deployments to Los Angeles. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker condemned the threats, accusing the president a seeking to be “dictator” in a social media post.

Saturday’s rally ended at Freedom Plaza, where speakers urged continued mobilization, vowing more protests as many push back against the federal occupation of the city.