DC residents protest as White House says federal agents will be on patrol 24/7

WASHINGTON (AP) — Residents in one Washington, D.C., neighborhood lined up Wednesday to protest the increased police presence after the White House said the number of National Guard troops in the nation’s capital would ramp up and federal officers would be on the streets around the clock.

After law enforcement set up a vehicle checkpoint along the busy 14th Street Northwest corridor, hecklers shouted, “Go home, fascists” and “Get off our streets.” Some protesters stood at the intersection before the checkpoint and urged drivers to turn away from it.

The action intensified a few days after President Donald Trump's unprecedented announcement that his administration would take over the city's police department for at least a month.

The city's Democratic mayor walked a political tightrope, referring to the takeover as an “authoritarian push” at one point and later framing the infusion of officers as boost to public safety, though one with few specific barometers for success. The Republican president has said crime in the city was at emergency levels that only such federal intervention could fix — even as District of Columbia leaders pointed to statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low after a sharp rise two years ago.

For two days, small groups of federal officers had been visible in scattered areas of the city. But more were present in high-profile locations Wednesday and troops were expected to start doing more missions in Washington on Thursday, according to a National Guard spokesman who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the planning process.

On Wednesday, agents from Homeland Security Investigations patrolled the popular U Street corridor. Drug Enforcement Administration officers were seen on the National Mall, while National Guard members were parked nearby. DEA agents also joined Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol in the Navy Yard neighborhood, while FBI agents stood along the heavily trafficked Massachusetts Avenue.

Hundreds of federal law enforcement and city police officers who patrolled the streets Tuesday night made 43 arrests, compared with about two dozen the night before.

D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson downplayed the arrest reports as “a bunch of traffic stops” and said the administration was seeking to disguise how unnecessary this federal intervention is.

“I'm looking at this list of arrests and they sound like a normal Saturday night in any big city,” said Henderson.

Unlike in other U.S. states and cities, the law gives Trump the power to take over Washington’s police for up to 30 days. Extending his power over the city for longer would require approval from Congress, and that could be tough in the face of Democratic resistance.

Trump suggested he could seek a longer period of control or decide to call on Congress to exercise authority over city laws his administration sees as lax on crime. “We’re gonna do this very quickly. But we’re gonna want extensions. I don’t want to call a national emergency. If I have to, I will,” he said.

Later, on his Truth Social site, Trump reiterated his claims about the capital, writing, “D.C. has been under siege from thugs and killers, but now, D.C. is back under Federal Control where it belongs.”

Henderson, who worked for Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York before running for the D.C. Council, said she was already in touch with “friends on the Hill” to rally opposition for any Trump extension request. She added, “It's Day Three and he's already saying he's going to need more time?”

The arrests made by 1,450 federal and local officers across the city included those for suspicion of driving under the influence and unlawful entry, as well as a warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, according to the White House. Seven illegal firearms were seized.

There have now been more than 100 arrests since Trump began beefing up the federal law enforcement presence in Washington last week, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said. “President Trump is delivering on his campaign promise to clean up this city and restore American Greatness to our cherished capital,” she said.

The president has full command of the National Guard and has activated up to 800 troops to support law enforcement, though exactly what form remains to be determined.

Neither Army nor District of Columbia National Guard officials have been able to describe the training backgrounds of the troops who have so far reported for duty.

While some members are military police, others likely hold jobs that would have offered them little training in dealing with civilians or law enforcement.

The federalization push also includes clearing out encampments for people who are homeless, Trump has said. U.S. Park Police have removed dozens of tents since March, and plan to take out two more this week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said. People are offered the chance to go to shelters and get addiction treatment, if needed, but those who refuse could be fined or jailed, she said.

City officials said they are making more shelter space available and increasing their outreach.

The federal effort comes even after a drop in violent crime in the nation's capital, a trend that experts have seen in cities across the U.S. since an increase during the coronavirus pandemic.

On average, the level of violence Washington remains mostly higher than averages in three dozen cities analyzed by the nonprofit Council on Criminal Justice, said the group's president and CEO, Adam Gelb.

Police Chief Pamela Smith said during an interview with the local Fox affiliate that the city's Metro Police Department has been down nearly 800 officers. She said the increased number of federal agents on the streets would help fill that gap, at least for now.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said city officials did not get any specific goals for the surge during a meeting with Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, and other top federal law enforcement officials Tuesday. But, she said, "I think they regard it as a success to have more presence and take more guns off the street, and we do too.”

She had previously called Trump's moves “unsettling and unprecedented” while pointing out he was within a president's legal rights regarding the district, which is the seat of American government but is not a state.

For some residents, the increased presence of law enforcement and National Guard troops is nerve-wracking.

“I’ve seen them right here at the subway ... they had my street where I live at blocked off yesterday, actually,” Washington native Sheina Taylor said. “It’s more fearful now because even though you’re a law-abiding citizen, here in D.C., you don’t know, especially because I’m African American."

Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Konstantin Toropin and Will Weissert, photographer Jacquelyn Martin and video journalist River Zhang contributed to this report.

Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers as they conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Residents of the area yell at agents of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations as they join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers to conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers as they conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers as they conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers as they conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anthony Peltier)

Department of Homeland Security Investigation officers stop to talk to a member of the community at the intersection of 14th and U Streets in northwest Washington, while on patrol Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Department of Homeland Security Investigation officers pause at the intersection of 14th and U Streets in northwest Washington, while on patrol Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

District of Columbia National Guard members park near the Washington Monument Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Kyle Cooper/WTOP News via AP)

Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration walk as they patrol along the National Mall Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A child watches as officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration patrol along the National Mall Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Ms. Jay, of Washington, who lost her job and is living what she calls her "Girl Scout life" while saving money by urban camping and looking for work while homeless, packs up her tent and belongings in a small park by Georgetown, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Washington, after being warned by an aid organization that tents are being removed. "Last night was so scary," says Ms. Jay, "I don't want to be the one to wait until the last moment and then have to rush out." (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Agents from various agencies including Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park Police, and FBI, question a couple who had been parked outside a legal parking zone while eating McDonald's takeout, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in northwest Washington near Kennedy St. NW. The couple were released after a search of the car. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Federal law enforcement agents from various agencies including Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park Police, and FBI, question a couple who had been parked outside a legal parking zone while eating McDonald's takeout, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in northwest Washington near Kennedy St. NW. The couple were released after a search of the car. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Law enforcement agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Metropolitan Police drive along Kennedy Street NW in a caravan, in the early morning of Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Vehicles with law enforcement agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Metropolitan Police drive along Kennedy Street NW, in the early morning of Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Petworth neighborhood of Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Metropolitan Police get into their vehicles to continue patrolling Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in northwest Washington on Kennedy St. NW. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Agents from various agencies including Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park Police, and FBI, question a couple who had been parked in a car with Washington D.C. plates outside of a legal parking spot while eating McDonald's takeout, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in northwest Washington near Kennedy St. NW. The couple were released after a search of the car. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Metropolitan Police leave the parking lot of Kenny's Carry-Out and drive in a caravan along Kennedy Street NW, in the early morning of Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in northwest Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Metropolitan Police wait in a parking lot before driving along Kennedy Street NW in a caravan, in the early morning of Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in northwest Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The apparent leader of a failed coup in Benin remained on the run and the fate of hostages remained unclear on Monday, a day after a group of soldiers attempted to overthrow the government of the West African nation.

The soldiers, calling themselves the Committee for Refoundation, stormed the national television station on Sunday morning. Led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, eight soldiers appeared in a broadcast announcing the removal of President Patrice Talon, dissolution of the government and suspension of state institutions.

Before the coup, Tigri was a member of Talon's protection detail. As an artillery officer, he commanded a National Guard battalion between 2023 and 2025.

By Sunday afternoon, the coup was foiled by Benin's military, supported by Nigerian air and ground forces, which launched attacks against fleeing mutineers. At least a dozen soldiers were arrested, while others remained at large. Tigri's whereabouts weren't known.

Calm returned to Cotonou, Benin’s administrative center, with soldiers on the streets.

Talon described the coup late Sunday as a “senseless adventure,” and said the situation was under control. He vowed to punish mutineers and ensure the safety of hostages, including some believed to be senior military officers. He didn't disclose their identities, and it wasn't clear how many were held.

The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, said Sunday that it had deployed a standby force to Benin to help preserve democracy. The troops included personnel from Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. The size of the force was unclear.

A Nigerian government spokesperson said in a statement that Talon had requested Nigeria’s help. It wasn't clear how many personnel or how much equipment had been deployed.

Nigeria and the ECOWAS regional bloc hadn't intervened in a member state since 2017, when it sent troops to Gambia to force then President Yahya Jammeh to vacate power following his election loss.

The bloc, led by Nigeria, tried to intervene in Niger after the country's 2023 coup. At that time, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu led the bloc. His threat to intervene if the junta didn't restore the ousted democratic government resulted in a standoff between the bloc and three junta-led countries, and they later left the bloc.

Analysts say Nigeria has a strategic interest in defending its borders, especially now, while it experiences a severe security crisis.

“The coup in Benin is one too many. Nigeria cannot afford to be encircled by hostile governments,” Oluwole Ojewale, a senior security researcher at Dakar-based Institute for Security Studies, told The Associated Press.

The attempted coup is the latest in a spate of coups that have rocked West Africa since 2020. Soldiers seized power last month in Guinea-Bissau after a disputed election result, following Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Guinea and Gabon among the countries that have experienced similar takeovers in the past five years.

Analysts say ECOWAS lacks consistency in its response. In Gabon and Guinea-Bissau, the bloc was less assertive, and it has watched some other leaders stay in office via constitutional changes.

“You can make the argument that Tinubu needed to show some strength in preserving democracy, but this now speaks to ECOWAS' double standard ... It would appear that there are certain presidents who are part of the club, and when they behave anyhow, nobody says anything,” said Cheta Nwanze, a partner at the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence geopolitical consultancy firm.

Despite a history of coups following its independence from France in 1960, Benin has enjoyed relative calm in the past two decades. The country is set to elect a new president in April, because Talon is set to leave office after a decade in power.

Soldiers ride in a military vehicle along a street amid an attempted coup in Cotonou Benin, Sunday Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo)

Soldiers ride in a military vehicle along a street amid an attempted coup in Cotonou Benin, Sunday Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo)

People on motorcycles pass by soldiers guarding a street amid an attempted coup in Cotonou Benin, Sunday Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo)

People gather near a roadway amid an attempted coup in Cotonou, Benin, Sunday Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo)

FILE - Benin's President Patrice Talon attends a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)