Reporter's Notebook: Under the gun in Trump's D.C security crackdown

WASHINGTON - Biking into work across the Potomac River in Washington always provides a crisp, breezy entry into the city.

A few days after President Donald Trump declared a "crime emergency" in the District of Columbia and ordered a security crackdown, I saw an aluminium stepladder bouncing in the traffic on the bridge.

I stopped at one of the many federal police vehicles that have suddenly become ubiquitous to report the hazard – and found no one inside.

As with so many other things in the city these days, it may have been parked there just as a show of force.

A few days later, after military troops patrolling the city were authorised to carry automatic weapons, I rode past that same spot – a bucolic, columned monument steps from a river pool – to find a dozen federal officers on horseback on the marble plaza along the water's edge.

A dozen more camouflage-uniformed soldiers toted rifles, and a dozen more officers were sitting in vehicles and on foot. A handful of tourists milled around them, taking pictures.

As the militarisation takes hold, desert-beige armoured vehicles amass near the Washington Monument at dusk, traffic checkpoints stop vehicles for spot checks, immigration agents gather for morning preparations in a parking lot, and 20-plus law enforcement vehicles surround a downtown park to watch over a rally of a few dozen protesters.

Trump's crackdown on public safety has been heavily debated, as police data show a drop of 20% in crime through Aug. 27 compared with last year.

But with the military presence, Washington feels far less welcoming than usual.

The city feels so dead, a mother said at a recent area soccer practice.

A father responded that he has many friends who have been robbed or attacked over the years by gangs of youths.

Both points may be true, but following the economic slump of the pandemic, efforts to downsize the federal government and Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown, these new actions can be seen to be hurting the city.

Restaurants are empty as diners stay home, tanking tourism numbers have sparked official efforts to reassure would-be travellers, and street vendors say business is worse than during the pandemic. Many immigrant residents are too scared to go to work.

Immigrant groups are warning of a rise of fear among residents toward police and urging locals not to call law enforcement unless necessary.

In response to raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), students returning to school are being advised on how to deal with armed security personnel by walking to school in groups, and having parents present at drop-off and pick-up times, according to pointers from a community group.

Even my relaxing bike commute feels under threat, as bicycling advocates warn we could come under increased scrutiny due to cyclists' ability to evade checkpoints.

The scenario makes commuting home out of the city back over the Potomac bridge a relief, although it looks like these tensions won't remain confined to Washington.

Trump is threatening to expand his security crackdown to other cities including Baltimore, Maryland, Chicago, New York and Oakland, California.

(Reporting by Carey L. Biron. Editing by Anastasia Moloney and Ellen Wulfhorst.)