Los Angeles Crackdown Raises Alarms for Black D.C. Communities

June 9, 2025

President Trump has dispatched 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without California Governor Gavin Newsom's approval, drawing parallels to his 2020 actions in Washington, D.C., where federal forces violently removed peaceful Black protesters demonstrating against George Floyd's killing. For Black Washingtonians, who lack state government protection and voting representation in Congress, this intervention in Los Angeles serves as a troubling reminder of their vulnerability to federal overreach and militarized responses to Black-led protests. The article outlines five specific reasons why Black D.C. residents should be concerned, including the precedent set by Trump's previous militarized response to protests, disproportionate policing of Black communities, D.C.'s lack of statehood protection, threats from Project 2025, and Trump's rhetoric that criminalizes Black dissent.

Who is affected

Black residents of Washington, D.C.
Black protesters and residents in Los Angeles
Communities in areas targeted by National Guard deployments
Black-led movements and organizations
Residents of D.C. who lack voting representation in Congress and state government protection

What action is being taken

President Trump is deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without state approval
Federal forces are intervening in response to immigration raids and community protests in Los Angeles
Black Washingtonians are watching and drawing parallels to their own experiences from 2020
The Washington Informer newspaper is providing coverage and analysis of these events

Why it matters

The deployment demonstrates a pattern of federal overreach that particularly impacts Black communities
D.C.'s lack of statehood leaves its 45% Black population uniquely vulnerable to federal intervention without state protection
Black residents in both cities face disproportionate policing and surveillance
Project 2025 threatens to expand federal law enforcement authority and presidential control over law enforcement
Trump's rhetoric frames Black-led protests as criminal activity rather than legitimate dissent
These actions set precedents for how protests, particularly Black-led ones, are treated by federal authorities

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer