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On Monday, August 11, President Trump, alleging a “public safety emergency” in the “dirty” “wasteland” of D.C., announced a 30-day federal takeover of the nation’s capital. Here are three critical takeaways.
One, Black residents outnumber every other racial group in D.C. Trump’s unfounded call—to seize control of D.C. police, 800 national guardspeople, and 120 F.B.I. agents to target “bloodthirsty criminals” and “roving mobs of wild youth”—is racialized. 94% of police use-of-force is against Black people who are only 44.4% of the population.
Subsequently, this is textbook “crime” fear-mongering and scapegoating. D.C. recently hit a 30-year violent crime low. Meanwhile, Trump claimed D.C.’s no-cash-bail policy is a “disaster.” He promised to destroy unhoused encampments amidst an economic crisis he caused. He pardoned those who stormed the Capitol on January 6 in his name. Local, especially Black, D.C. officials and community members didn’t ask for this undermining takeover, especially not plans to overturn D.C.’s home rule concerning self-government.
Lastly, this is about more than D.C. Ignoring Republican-led states struggling with violence, Trump’s extending his copaganda to Democrat-led cities like Chicago, L.A., and N.Y.C., too.
D.C. community members have already taken to the streets, making Trump’s hypocrisy and injustice clearer than ever. Wherever you are, encourage those around you to reject anti-Black “high crime” copaganda as the president continues his commitment to raising the stakes for Black lives.