D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called on President Trump to withdraw all federal troops from the city Friday as she lifts the state of emergency related to the demonstrations.
“The protestors have been peaceful, and last night, the Metropolitan Police Department did not make a single arrest,” she wrote in a letter Thursday and shared on social media Friday morning.
“The safety and freedom of the residents and visitors to the District of Columbia is paramount. My view is law enforcement should be in place to protect the rights of American citizens, not restrict them.”
Ms. Bowser also raised her concerns about federal law enforcement that have not identified which agencies they are with.
“The deployment of federal law enforcement personnel and equipment are inflaming demonstrators and adding to the grievances of those, who by and large, are peacefully protesting for change and for reforms to the racist and broken system that are killing black Americans,” she wrote.
“When citizens are unable to clearly identify legitimate law enforcement officers, it creates unnecessary risks for both protesters and officers,” she added.
National unrest sparked after the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor have renewed the painful debate of racial tensions and police brutality in the U.S.
Over the weekend, the city saw an outbreak of violence with some businesses being damaged and multiple fires set in the city, including at St. John’s Episcopal Church, prompting Ms. Bowser to start setting curfews, which ended on Thursday.
Ms. Bowser has clashed with Mr. Trump over questions of authority on troop presence in the district, criticizing his decision to bring in out-of-state National Guard.
On Monday, Mr. Trump went out to the church for a photo-op, prompting law enforcement to use less-than-lethal force, including blunt munitions and respiratory irritants, to clear protestors half an hour before the city-wide curfew.
The clash on Monday sparked a wave of backlash against Mr. Trump, who vowed to crack down on the national unrest with military troops if necessary.
Democratic lawmakers have demanded answers on both the use of force on protestors Monday night and the agencies involved in the federal law enforcement within the District.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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