THE OCCUPATION OF WASHINGTON D. C., A VIEW FROM DOWNTOWN
Three National Guardsmen stand watch on the mezzanine level just before the evening rush hour, a visible reminder of security and deterrence during daily commutes.
the streets of Washington was unlawful and damaged public trust. The president dismissed these concerns and defended the Guard’ s deployment as a necessary crime fighting tool.
A city under watch
The most immediate effect for many residents, it seems, has been psychological. The sight of soldiers with rifles near coffee shops or pistols at playgrounds has produced both tension and worry. Business owners in commercial corridors worry that the militarized image will drive away patrons. Shopkeepers near Union Station, by contrast, said they feel safer closing up at night.
Tourists have also taken notice. Visitors at the National Museum of African American History and Culture now find soldiers in the background of family photos they take. Couples dining along the District Wharf pass by Humvees parked on the boardwalk. Along the city’ s U Street corridor – which is known to many locals as Washington’ s“ Black Broadway” because it was once the center of African American nightlife and culture – restaurants and entertainment venues operate as usual even as soldiers are stationed a few steps away.
But for the Guardsmen, their assignment in Washington is not without complications.
Internal assessments, The Washington Post reported, revealed that some service members question how they perceive their mission. A few expressed feelings of discomfort when residents photographed them, or avoided eye contact.
The consequences beneath the surface
Trump’ s deployment of the National Guard in Washington has produced another significant cost. Tourism fell during the summer, with hotels reporting cancellations and restaurants struggling to fill tables. Some owners said their employees are hesitant to commute to work, fearful of checkpoints and federal raids.
The involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement( ICE) heightened those fears. ICE agents have conducted large-scale arrests since Trump ordered the National Guard into Washington. News accounts detailed families caught in public sweeps and residents avoiding hospitals, schools and workplaces. Advocacy groups reported that some parents withdrew children from after-school programs to avoid exposure.
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