Scores of protesters took to the streets of Washington, DC on Saturday to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump’s federal intervention in the city’s law enforcement. The demonstration specifically targeted the deployment of National Guard troops and the administration’s control over the police department.

The protesters, numbering in the hundreds, marched through the city center, chanting slogans demanding an end to what they perceive as federal overreach in local policing matters. The demonstrators expressed concerns about the implications of heightened federal involvement in law enforcement operations within the nation’s capital.

In response to the protest, a White House official defended the administration’s actions, stating, “The deployment of federal resources is necessary to maintain law and order in the face of ongoing civil unrest.” The official emphasized the need for a strong federal presence to ensure the safety and security of the city and its residents.

Legal experts note that the federal government has the authority to intervene in local law enforcement matters under certain circumstances, such as protecting federal property or addressing civil unrest that local authorities are unable to contain. However, critics argue that such interventions can raise constitutional concerns and undermine the principles of local governance and autonomy.

Despite the protesters’ calls for an end to the federal law enforcement takeover in DC, the administration has shown no indication of scaling back its involvement. The clash of perspectives between those advocating for increased federal presence for public safety and those advocating for local control is likely to continue shaping the debate surrounding law enforcement policies in the nation’s capital.