Washington, D.C
Cops in nation’s capital draw ire, support for staying away from campus protest
Student protesters arrested as police clear UCLA’s protest encampment
Police clashed with demonstrators in UCLA’s pro-Palestine protest encampment site in the early morning hours as they cleared the area and made arrests.
As police swarmed pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses across the country this week, officers in the nation’s capital refused to get involved, igniting ire from Republican Congressmembers and raising thorny ethics questions about bringing outside cops to university property.
Fueling part of the controversy are reports that Metropolitan Police supposedly turned down pleas from university administrators to get involved amid escalating protests against the war in Gaza on George Washington University’s Washington, D.C., campus late last week. The move deviated from decisions by other police departments to march on college campuses, disband student demonstrations, and arrest hundreds this week.
The tent encampment covering University Yard, a square area in the center of the George Washington University campus, entered its eighth day on Thursday. Hours after around 20 tents went up in the early morning hours of April 25, the university demanded that protesters disperse and dismantle them.
When the demonstrators refused to leave, the university reached out to metro police to break up the encampment, with President Ellen Granberg and Provost Christopher Bracey calling it an “unauthorized use of university space.”
But metro police refused to send their officers into the campus, fearing the optics of a police crackdown on students less than a mile from the White House, according to the Washington Post.
Police wrote in an email to USA TODAY that the department “stood in support” of the response of campus police, who take “the lead in the response to first amendment demonstrations occurring on GWU grounds.” The department declined to comment on “operational tactics or procedures.”
George Washington officials did not provide additional comment in response to USA TODAY’s request.
Listen: Police order dispersal of gathering at UCLA as protests continue nationwide | The Excerpt
GOP congressmembers make trip to GWU
The metro police decision not to get involved presented an opportunity for a political jab from some Republican members of the House Oversight Committee, who visited the encampment on Wednesday to condemn the police department’s refusal to act.
“We expect these encampments to be cleared out,” Committee Chair James Comer said, after walking through a crowd of protesters booing and heckling. In a letter to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, he and Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx also slammed metro police for refusing to get involved “over fears of public criticism.”
But experts cautioned university administrators to think carefully before involving police in campus protests. Before calling in law enforcement, university administrations should have a crystal clear picture of what’s going on, said Christy Lopez, a professor at Georgetown Law. That level of certainty could be missing from the decisions of some administrations.
“Sometimes it’s just really fuzzy and things are moving quickly, and you need to make sure that you understand what’s going on,” she said. “Sometimes, it can be sort of reckless to the point of almost deliberate” to call in police without the full facts established, she added.
Lopez commended police in the nation’s capital for not getting involved in the protest at George Washington. “We should not have to rely on police departments restraining themselves,” she said. “But as that instance shows, sometimes you have to rely on the police department to show the level of judgment that campus officials may not be showing.”
Almost every recent instance she had seen of police response to student protests could present grounds for a critical incident review of officers’ actions, she said. “I think that every single crackdown that I’ve seen warrants that level of scrutiny,” she added.
Protesters Face Charges: Campus protests across the US result in arrests by the hundreds. But will the charges stick?
Hundreds arrested at campus protests
The decision made metro police an outlier among other city police departments that sent officers into the chaotic center of campus demonstrations.
The NYPD made its first wave of around 100 arrests on Columbia University’s Manhattan campus in mid-April after it entered campus upon request from university President Minouche Shafik to dismantle a tent encampment. The situation has only escalated since then – on Tuesday night, NYPD officers arrested nearly 300 people at demonstrations at Columbia and the City College of New York.
At a news conference on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said NYPD carried out the operation at the university’s request. “The request we received in writing could not have been clearer,” he said.
In Austin, police in riot gear, riding horses, and wielding batons and pepper spray descended on protests at the University of Texas campus last week upon the university’s request. Although charges against the 57 people arrested were dropped, officers returned on Monday to arrest nearly 80 more.
In an email to USA TODAY, Austin police said the level of assistance that its officers provided to campus police changed with the dynamics of the situation. At first, officers helped to transport those arrested to jail. More recently, campus police asked Austin officers to assist them in making arrests. After campus police and Texas Department of Public Safety officers decided to disband the protest, “it became apparent that additional resources were needed for officer safety and the safety of those taking part in the demonstration.”
“Moving forward as the demonstrations continue, APD will remain ready to provide assistance to [campus police] if requested,” Austin police said in the email.
Experts say police should build trust with protesters
Lopez said building up a level of trust with protesters by acting with restraint can help law enforcement work effectively in the midst of a protest. “Is there an alternative to just going in and tearing apart an encampment or shutting down a protest? Or can you be more directed and actually figure out who’s causing the problems?” she said.
Either way, law enforcement’s response to the protests could leave a lasting mark on how young people view the ethics of policing, Lopez said. “How the police respond here is going to be as indelibly marked on the political consciousness of youth today, as the police response during the Vietnam War protest was on youth of that era,” she said.
“This is going to define how they think about not just police, but government, about the legitimacy of authority,” she added. “That’s really, really an important thing for police and leaders to be thinking about, is that they’re forging that reality and those perceptions right now.”
Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. Reach her on email at cmayesosterman@usatoday.com. Follow her on X @CybeleMO.
Washington, D.C
DC native killed in multivehicle crash remembered for his love of photography – WTOP News
Aaron Marckell Williams, 26, was killed after being struck in a multivehicle crash following a high-speed chase in Northwest D.C. on Wednesday afternoon. A 20-year-old man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
While working Election Day in 2022, Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. drove alongside Aaron Marckell Williams to cover the evening results for the Washington Informer. As it became clear that Kenyan McDuffie would win his bid for an at-large seat on the D.C. Council, the duo rushed over to McDuffie’s victory party.
As soon as Collins Jr. parked his car, Williams “got to the front and took a very iconic photo” of McDuffie pointing at the crowd during his victory speech.
Over three years later, Collins Jr. saw the photo again on the Informer’s website and began thinking about his former colleague.
“Only to find out a couple of days later that he left us,” Collins Jr. told WTOP.
Williams, 26, was killed after being struck in a multivehicle crash following a high-speed chase in Northwest D.C. on Wednesday afternoon. A 20-year-old man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
To those who know him, Williams, a D.C. native, was known for his chill personality and love of photography. His Instagram page is filled with event coverage featuring hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams and former President Barack Obama.
The pair met after Williams returned to the District after graduating from the University of Miami.
His love of photography shined as they covered news events.
During downtime, Williams was very personable, Collins said, and willing to share about his background growing up in D.C. and attending a boarding school before going to Miami. While his laid-back approach may have confused some, he was not lazy, Collins said, calling his photos “quality work.”
“He just made it look very effortless, and that just spoke to his personality,” Collins said.
Williams recently chose to take a break from the Informer to focus on freelance work.
Washington Informer Managing Editor Micha Green told NBC Washington he was traveling multiple countries, including Ghana, to continue working as an “amazing visual storyteller.”
“We are heartbroken over the loss of Marckell Williams — a talented photographer, storyteller, and beautiful soul who was once part of the Washington Informer family,” the outlet wrote in a statement posted on X. “His passion for capturing people, culture, and truth will never be forgotten.”
The last time Collins recalls seeing his former coworker, Williams was taking photos at a go-go event on Marion Barry Avenue. Even though he was focused on his craft, Williams stopped for a moment to talk with his former reporting partner. The love shown at that moment, Collins said, spoke about the person Williams was.
“Being laid back in a city like this, where it gets more expensive and there’s just so much going on, that’s a feat in itself,” Collins said. “He had that spirit. He was just too good for us.”
LANDOVER, Md. – Bruno Mars is bringing The Romantic Tour to the Washington, D.C. region this spring!
The Grammy-winning star will stop at Northwest Stadium on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
The stadium’s website lets fans sign up for presale access now. Tickets go on sale Thursday, January 15 at 12 p.m.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Bruno Mars – The Romantic Tour 2026 DatesApril – October 2026
Apr 10, 2026 – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Apr 14, 2026 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Apr 18, 2026 – Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Apr 22, 2026 – NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Apr 25, 2026 – Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, Atlanta, GA
Apr 29, 2026 – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
May 02, 2026 – Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD
May 06, 2026 – Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
May 09, 2026 – Ford Field, Detroit, MI
May 13, 2026 – U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
May 16, 2026 – Soldier Field Stadium, Chicago, IL
May 20, 2026 – Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
May 23, 2026 – Rogers Stadium, Toronto, ON
May 24, 2026 – Rogers Stadium, Toronto, ON
Jun 20, 2026 – Stade de France, Paris, FR
Jun 21, 2026 – Stade de France, Paris, FR
Jun 26, 2026 – Olympiastadion, Berlin, DE
Jul 04, 2026 – Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, NL
Jul 05, 2026 – Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, NL
Jul 10, 2026 – Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, ES
Jul 14, 2026 – Stadio San Siro, Milan, IT
Jul 18, 2026 – Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, London, UK
Jul 19, 2026 – Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, London, UK
Aug 21, 2026 – Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Aug 22, 2026 – Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Aug 29, 2026 – Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 01, 2026 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Sep 05, 2026 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Sep 09, 2026 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Sep 12, 2026 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Sep 16, 2026 – Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Sep 19, 2026 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
Sep 23, 2026 – Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Sep 26, 2026 – Falcon Stadium, United States Air Force Academy, CO
Oct 02, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Oct 03, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Oct 10, 2026 – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Oct 14, 2026 – BC Place, Vancouver, BC
More information on the tour can be found online.
D.C.’s mayor and interim police chief took questions on immigration enforcement after an ICE agent shot and killed an unarmed woman in Minneapolis.
“If we don’t want ICE in our communities, we have to stop funding ICE – and that decision isn’t made here; it’s made at the Congress,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
The mayor was asked about her reaction to the killing.
“To me, it just is reflected, when you have people who are unaccustomed to urban policing trying to police in an urban environment. What it looked to me like – very bad, and I’m not a police officer, I’m not in law enforcement – but what I saw was completely avoidable, and a woman died,” she said.
“ICE is patrolling American cities. If we don’t want that, the Congress has to stop funding ICE, because thousands of agents who are untrained to police in urban environments are on our streets,” Bowser added.
In two recent incidents in D.C., federal agents opened fire on drivers who the agents claimed were trying to hit them with their vehicles. In those cases, no one was injured.
Interim Chief of Police Jeffery Carroll was asked about public concerns that might happen here again.
“A lot of these individuals, they don’t work in urban policing. So, us working with federal authorities in the policing operations, being out there, actually helps us make sure that we can work in those areas to help control what’s going on,” he said.
“Obviously, I can’t assure you of anything. Obviously, I can assure you every situation is different, right, that officers encounter out there,” he added. “But I think having the relationship and having the federal authorities working with the officers does help to mitigate some of the challenges that we have with that.”
Nadeau’s report on DC cooperation with immigration enforcement
Departing D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau released a scathing report Thursday that’s critical of how MPD and the Bowser administration have cooperated with federal immigration enforcement.
“The primary finding is the loss of trust between the public and MPD,” she told News4. “The challenge that we’re finding is that the mayor and the chief’s interpretation of the Sanctuary Values Act has opened up a vulnerability whereby they are essentially cooperating with ICE in a manner that does not match with the intent of the law.”
Bowser declined to comment on the report.
Carroll said he has not decided whether to make any changes to MPD policies on cooperating with immigration enforcement.
Last month, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, who oversees public safety, sent a letter to the then-chief requesting detailed answers to several questions related to MPD’s cooperation with federal law enforcement. Carroll said Thursday that he will provide a response, which is due to the council by Friday.
In this 4 More Context, News4’s Ted Oberg explains how many people in the D.C. area have been arrested by ICE and why.
Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.
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