D.C. student walkouts marks start of events protesting federal police surge

Students at four D.C. universities walked out of class in protest nearly a month after the start of the federal law enforcement surge in the city, and organizers say they have more events planned.

Students at American, Howard, Georgetown, and George Washington universities left class on Sept. 9 to protest the Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard as part of a larger surge in federal law enforcement aimed at reducing crime. The walkout is the first major event at these campuses for this school year.

This past August, President Donald Trump declared the nation’s capital unsafe, citing rising violence. He declared a crime emergency and deployed federal law enforcement agents and members of the National Guard to address that crime.

“The city government’s failure to maintain public order and safety has had a dire impact on the Federal Government’s ability to operate efficiently to address the Nation’s broader interests without fear of our workers being subjected to rampant violence.” President Trump said in his executive order regarding the crime emergency.

The presence of the National Guard has many outraged in D.C., and the walkouts attracted students and citizens alike. The timeslots of the walkouts were staggered across the campuses, allowing more to attend at each event.

Organizers at these events had face coverings and were handing out face masks. According to Scout Cardillo, a lead organizer of the walkout at Georgetown, the masks were for security, to protect their identities. Cardillo also said that there has been an uptick in Covid cases in the area.

Amede Olisa, a freshman at American University, is not a stranger to protests. In high school, Olisa said she participated in a walkout against racism that was occurring in her school. Olisa said these events help bring awareness to situations that are otherwise not talked about enough.

Olisa said that while she does not think President Trump will respond to the walkouts, this is important for people to see and to become informed.

Cardillo also attended the walkout at American University. Cardillo said these events are effective.

“I think it’s effective because we are getting it on people’s radar, and it’s a situation that is becoming very real for people. We can step outside of class and see the national guard or see a federal agent. And it wasn’t like that before, and it doesn’t have to be this way.” Cardillo said.

Cardillo said that raising this awareness through events such as walkouts and protests helps more people become aware of a problem.

“This will push people to want to take action and demand better from lawmakers,” Cardillo said. “We receive a lot of community support.”

Free DC was the lead organization organizing the walkouts at the universities. Free DC began in 2023 with the “Hands Off DC” movement. The “Hands Off DC” movement has now transformed into a movement that is “led by the people of the District of Columbia to win dignity for our communities and exert our right to self-determination,” according to the Free DC website.

Free DC officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Anyone can join Free DC through its website. Each ward has its own orientation and events.

So, what is next? At American University, several events are planned.

AU’s chapter of Amnesty International has several tablings scheduled, according to its Instagram. These events are bi-weekly on Mondays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.. It will discuss human rights issues in the United States of America and abroad. For more information, you can visit the chapter’s Instagram, @auamnesty.

Asher Heisten, vice president of the Taskforce for Democracy, was the main organizer for the walkout at AU. According to Taskforce for Democracy’s Instagram page, it an organization that “organizes students to fight autocracy and demand the just and inclusive democracy our generation deserves.”

Heisten said the Taskforce for Democracy is continuing to partner with other organizations across D.C. to plan more events and get their voices heard. Heisten said to visit the organization’s Instagram, @americanu4dc, for more information on events and involvement.

“We are pushing back here [American University] in order to demonstrate that there is resistance here,” Heisten stated.

As for Georgetown, Cardillo said that their organization plans on doing more public education events where students and D.C. citizens alike can go and learn about being part of the coalition that is formed when creating the walkouts. There is also the Free DC noisemaking event, which Cardillo said is not organized by the organization at Georgetown, but is Free DC specific.