Trump is mobilizing the National Guard in Washington DC and Federalizing the police force. It began before the press conference. I saw it firsthand.

Last night, the streets of Washington, D.C., felt different—tense, patrolled, and watched. Not because of a public safety crisis (violent crime is down 26%), but because federal power had turned its gaze toward our neighborhoods. This is not routine. This is not normal. And for anyone who claims to be a Christian (or is a human being), this is not something we can ignore.

Jesus stood with the marginalized, confronted abusive power, and called out the hypocrites who crushed people under fear while claiming to act in God’s name. As Christians, we are commanded to stand with the oppressed, not with the oppressors.

Here’s what I saw last night.

Last night I decided to take minute and do one of my favorite things: go dancing. I decided to go to one of my favorite places in DC, but when I arrived, I froze. About ten officers in full tactical gear stood at the corner, their uniforms patched with “Homeland Security” and “FBI” as well as unmarked tactical uniforms.

Around the corner from the officers was another club on U street, Bunker, hosting its Latino Night. Spanish DJ, Spanish music, mostly Latino crowd.

I lingered nearby for about an hour, ready to go live if something happened. The tension broke when a caucasian man (who appeared to be inebriated) becan shouting at the officers, calling them fascists to their faces, saying F* you and F* the director of homeland security. He was telling them that they were not welcome, and they needed to get off the streets of our city.

He took a lap around the block and dipped into the Subway sandwich shop behind the officers to buy a sandwich. When he walked out, he began berating the officers again. The officers were laughing. As his anger escalated, the man threw a Subway sandwich at them and bolted. Eight of the agents sprinted after him and eventually tackled him on the pavement about a block away. Two more followed a few minutes later. I stayed on the corner close to the latino dance night location.

About ten minutes later, another group of officers passed in the same tactical gear. Apparently, multiple squads like this were pacing U Street. U street is the location of many of DCs gay bars and clubs.

I decided to change my plans and head into Bunker to resist and document a raid if it occurred. Thankfully, nothing happened. The music and dancing in bunker took on a larger significance, it felt as much of an act of resistance and protest as a night of fun and happiness.

But let me be clear, the sight of heavily armed federal agents patrolling queer spaces shook me and many others.

This is getting scary.

We Must Act Together

Authoritarianism doesn’t always arrive with tanks—it often comes with uniforms, polite press conferences (well, less polite in this administration), and the quiet normalization of intimidation. We’ve seen where this road leads in history. We must to speak the truth, protect the vulnerable, and refuse to bow to the idols of fear, fascism, and control.

Now is the time to:

• Show up — Attend peaceful protests, vigils, and gatherings that resist the erosion of civil rights. Research shows it only takes 3.5% of a population to actively participate in non-violent protests to make the changes needed in a situation like this.
• Speak out — Use your voice in church, online, and in your community to call this what it is: state-sanctioned intimidation.
• Support the targeted — Stand alongside immigrant communities, LGBTQ+ spaces, and anyone singled out by these shows of force. Offer accompaniment, document incidents, and make sure people know they are not alone.
• Pray with your feet — This is not the time to post “thoughts and prayers.” If you want to pray, do it with your feet. Embody your prayers through action. Prayer without justice is empty.

This is not a time for quiet Christianity (or humanity). This is a time for the loud, unflinching love. The kind of love that the kind that drives out fear, confronts the powerful, and refuses to let hate have the last word.

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