Washington becomes a military zone as protesters demand justice for George Floyd

Hardly an hour goes by in Downtown Washington without a helicopter flying overhead or military and police vehicles passing in a show of force against the George Floyd protests.

Friday marks one week since nationwide rallies triggered by the death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody reached the US capital, which now resembles a military zone with BearCat vehicles, police cars and security forces carrying batons.

On Tuesday, higher barriers were put in place outside Lafayette Square, a block from the White House, before military vehicles and soldiers were sent the next day to block protesters from the whole area.

At least 10 buses carrying hundreds of US forces arrived in Downtown Washington on Wednesday evening.

“We are from all federal agencies,” a security officer told The National. Another security agent explained that their presence was to prevent looting and maintain peace in the city, but reports of the use of tear gas and the downdraft from helicopter rotors to disperse protesters have raised concern in Congress.

Because Washington, DC is not a state, mobilising federal forces does not require local authorisation. Mayor Muriel Bowser rejected the mobilisation and called for statehood to override the Trump administration’s decisions.

“While the federal government continues to militarise our city because of the lack of statehood, we know this: violence will not solve violence,” Ms Bowser wrote on Twitter.

The protesters were also taken back by the military presence.

“We are peaceful. We want to talk to the police,” said Michael, a young black man who told The National he had marched in every protest since last Friday.

“We are not violent – we are just tired of injustice and being profiled.”