"By federalising the capital's police, targeting Black and Queer residents, and stifling protests, Trump is testing how far he can go to remake the US. Washington, DC, youth activist Afeni Evans has become the most recent symbol of US President Donald Trump's federal takeover of the city's police. On August 15, Metro Transit Police officers pepper-sprayed and forced the 28-year-old Evans to the ground at the Navy Yard subway stop for allegedly committing fare evasion."
"Yet, it happened to three Black youths anyway, prompting Evans to intervene, which led to her arrest. After public protests in DC and on social media, she was released to cheering crowds outside the court, and the charges against her were dropped the next day. Like with so many other issues related to Trump and his attempts at autocracy, his use of the National Guard and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stifle community ecosystems especially impacts Washington's Black, Brown and Queer residents."
Trump federalized the District of Columbia's police and announced an executive order asserting federal control amid claims of rising violent crime. Washington youth activist Afeni Evans was pepper-sprayed and arrested on August 15 while conducting cop watch at Navy Yard; public protests and social media pressure led to her release and dropped charges. Deployment of the National Guard and ICE has disproportionately impacted Black, Brown and Queer residents and disrupted community ecosystems. The federal intervention weakens the District's half-century of home rule and raises questions about whether DC can remain a viable site for protests and civic gatherings.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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