While conservative critics have attempted to delegitimize anti-Trump movements and claim demonstrators are paid — an idea the president has repeatedly advanced in his attacks against opposition — protesters from diverse backgrounds continue to rally across the District, calling for a “Free D.C.”
About 10,000 demonstrators took to the streets Saturday for the We Are All D.C. march, joining Free D.C., Unite Here Local 25, SEIU, United We Dream, Coalition of Concerned Clergy, Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO, Congregation Action Network, CASA, the ACLU of DC, Democracy Forward and Washington Interfaith Network in the fight for justice in the nation’s capital.
Various concerns united the many organizations speaking out against the federal law enforcement surge, checkpoints, and ICE arrests in the District, as well as President Donald Trump’s Aug. 11 decision to place D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under the control of the National Guard.
Sam Epps, president of the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, who spoke at the Sept. 6 march, said the effort was grassroots and authentic, not manufactured.
“This is what organizing looks like. This happened in two weeks,” said Epps. “These are family members who have to walk through militarized areas, who are being profiled on their way to work, who are being snatched up and sent to inhumane detention centers. That’s why they’re here today.”
However, while white, Black, Brown, and other communities have taken to the streets — as seen at Saturday’s march — critics are pointing to the racial makeup of some of the crowds as evidence that the movement lacks authenticity.
“We’re going to ignore these stupid white hippies,” said United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller while welcoming members of the National Guard at Union Station on Aug. 20, adding they “all need to go home and take a nap because they’re over 90 years old.”
He said those protesting were not representative of the District’s residents.
“Those crazy communists, they have no roots, no connection to the city, no connection to the community at all. All these demonstrators, all of these elderly white hippies, they are not part of the city and never have been. Most of the citizens who live in D.C. are Black,” said Miller, before furthering the president’s remarks about crime in D.C. “This is not a city that has had any safety for its Black citizens for generations.”
However, activists argue that conservative leaders overlook the broader scope of the movement and fail to recognize the range of people affected by these policies and the diverse communities standing against them.
Lewis Bracy, a protester from Fort Meade, Maryland, rejected the notion that the demonstrations were fake, saying many participants were local or from surrounding communities.
“I’ve met several of the organizers. Some live in D.C., and others live nearby in Northern Virginia. You can’t keep making excuses and saying people don’t belong,” Bracy said about the Sept. 6 rally, although he noted he would like to see more Black people in the crowd. “If you’re an American citizen, you have the right to be here–we’re in our nation’s capital.”
Activists, Rep. Al Green Denounce Pay Claims at March from Union Station to Congress
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), a visible presence at these demonstrations and often serving as a gateway into congressional buildings for peaceful protesters, spoke at a Sept. 2 rally at Union Station, where the National Guard is stationed and the group Flare serves as a hub and organizer for demonstrations.
He energized a diverse crowd during the Tuesday rally, where people gathered to demand the release of the Epstein files, march toward Congress to “flood the halls,” and voice opposition to a wide range of actions by Trump, especially those affecting the District.
As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Green was shocked to learn of rumors that activists were paid protesters.
“These people are being paid to protest? I just don’t see the evidence of it,” Green told The Informer. “These look like people who have decided they’ve had enough. These are people who have come from their homes, left their families, and are taking a risk, because we have a president who’s a very vindictive person.”
He rejected the idea that the protests were funded, emphasizing why people are taking to the streets to speak out against the president and his policies.
“I don’t see this as a movement funded,” Green said. “I see this as a movement that is grounded in a belief that they have a right to protect the Constitution.”
Longtime demonstrator Nadine Seiler of Waldorf, Maryland, known for her years of visible activism, dismissed the idea that protesters were being paid.
“People speculate because they feel that nobody could have such a strong conviction to come out and fight against something without being paid,” said Seiler, 60, who immigrated to the United States decades ago and has been consistently protesting since 2017. “But I personally don’t know anybody being paid. I’m at nearly every protest, and I don’t know anyone who is.”
She clarified that perhaps organizations might have sponsors to provide resources for protests, calling that “normal,” but emphasized “for individual protesters, the claim that we’re being paid is nonsense.”
After marching from Union Station to Congress on Sept. 2, Rig, a Black veteran who goes by U.S. Army Overlord on social media and helps organize with RememberYourOath.org, firmly rejected the idea that demonstrators were being paid.
“They don’t have to pay me a damn dime to do this,” Rig told The Informer.
For Rig, the stakes are deeply personal. He recalled hearing his daughter cry on election night after Trump’s return to the White House.
“I’ve been to five foreign countries serving this nation, and I’ll be damned if I don’t fight for it here,” he said. “Whether it takes 10 months or 10 years, we must be absolutely relentless in our fight against white supremacy.”
While activists note the negative effects of the president’s policies on communities of color, particularly in a city like Washington, D.C., with a large Black population, Green said Trump’s actions can be harmful to all Americans.
“These are issues confronting America. If you have a person who becomes an authoritarian, that impacts all of us,” Green emphasized. “This isn’t just a Black or Brown issue; these are issues confronting all Americans. If you had only Black and Brown people out here, people would be asking, ‘Where are the Anglos?’ This impacts all of us.”
The congressman offered a call to action.
“I think that all people who are interested in protecting democracy should be a part of this. All people of goodwill who want to save this country should be a part of this movement,” he said, adding that he believes future demonstrations will reflect that broader participation.
As an organizer, Rig also encouraged everyone to join in the fight for justice.
“Anybody who ever believes in the future of this country or ever took an oath to this country, join us,” he said. “We’re going to be here until the military occupation of D.C. ends.”
Rest as Resistance: ‘Preparing for the Fight’
While African American and diverse protesters are taking to the streets across the District and country, some activists note that Black people should not be the only people fighting for the future of the nation.
While Seiler, a Black immigrant, said she does not feel she has the privilege to stand back, she argued that many Black people are disillusioned with allies who have failed to stand with them.
“Black women are fed up with being stabbed in the back, especially by white women. After Roe v. Wade, they thought white women would come out and fight for their own rights. Instead, many chose to be tribal and stand with keeping America white,” she said. “So Black people decided they were done fighting for other people’s rights while being betrayed.”
Rig noted that many Black Americans are not only disappointed by the continued racism, discrimination, and disparities, but are also preparing for the road ahead.
“Black women came out to defend democracy. Ninety-three percent voted for Kamala Harris, and people are tired of Black bodies being sacrificed,” Rig said. “I just think that a lot of people are resting. I think a lot of people are preparing. I tell Black people, you can rest, but you need to prepare.”
The Nap Ministry has popularized the idea of “Rest Is Resistance.” Founded by Tricia Hersey, author of the 2016 “Rest is a Resistance: A Manifesto,” the Nap Ministry argues that for Black communities, choosing rest is a radical act, rejecting systems that have long demanded constant labor, sacrifice, and struggle. In this sense, Black protesters choosing when to demonstrate and rest is a deliberate act of preservation, a pause to restore strength and prepare for the long fight ahead.
Activists like Epps say they understand the importance of rest but stress that it cannot come at the expense of participation.
“There is a time for rest, but we need everyone in the fight right now. I’ll take a day to rest, but I’ll be back at it the next day,” he told The Informer. “People can pause, but they can’t opt out. We still need them in the streets. Our ancestors marched for jobs and justice; we owe it to them to keep showing up. Rest if you need to, but then get back in the fight.”