President Donald Trump said in remarks about youth curfews in D.C. that “they fight back until you knock the hell out of them.” D.C. Attorney General Jeanine Pirro slammed violent crime committed by “young punks” who she said city laws wrongly protect.
Four D.C. high schoolers gave News4 their reactions after Trump federalized the police department on Monday, declared a crime emergency and deployed the National Guard.
“It’s a messy situation because I feel like they’re viewing it as young Black kids. They just want to cause havoc and do anything they want,” Lamont Gilliam said.
Student Christopher Williams said the surge of officers, federal agents and National Guard troops on D.C. streets feels like “a way to make people feel like they’re always being watched and always being observed.”
The teens are part of a community action group in which they provide presentations about drug use prevention to their peers.
I want it to be safe for everybody and not just for certain people.
Blessyn Mackall, D.C. high schooler
They admitted kids sometimes make mistakes.
“I mean, it’s wrong on both sides. Kids sometimes do a little too much. They go overboard. But at the end of the day, we’re all just kids,” student Blessyn Mackall said.
Tristen Headspeth spoke about potential benefits of police patrols.
“I feel like, with the policemen, sometimes that can be helpful because that do make the youth a little bit more on edge with what they do,” she said.
Blessyn spoke about what she would like to see on D.C. streets.
“I want it to be safe for everybody and not just for certain people,” she said.
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