Scores of demonstrators marched through Washington, D.C., on Saturday to oppose President Donald Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops into the city.

The protest, organized by the activist group Refuse Fascism, drew hundreds who gathered at Dupont Circle before marching down Connecticut Avenue toward the National Mall.

Many wore bright orange bandannas and carried signs reading “Trump Must Go Now” and “No ICE! No National Guard!” The march briefly blocked traffic, with protesters chanting and cheering at drivers who honked in support.

Trump has defended the Guard deployment as a measure to reduce crime and homelessness in the capital. But protesters rejected that explanation, calling it an abuse of power aimed at intimidating residents of a city that has long leaned liberal.

The demonstration was mostly peaceful and carried a lively atmosphere.

Protesters danced, sang, and blew whistles, while one marcher blasted music by local D.C. artists through a speaker. Police officers monitored the procession from a distance, riding bicycles alongside the crowd.

Some participants said they joined the rally to defend their city and highlight the need for statehood. Robin Galbraith, a 61-year-old retired teacher, argued that Congress often uses D.C. as a political pawn.

“Trump is attacking my city to distract from everything going bad in his administration,” she said.

Another marcher, Sam Luban, 29, carried a sign quoting Sean C. Dunn, a Justice Department employee fired after throwing a sandwich at a federal officer last week.

“He’s become like a local legend,” Luban said, pointing to the quirky, defiant spirit that often defines protests in the city. Sandwiches, both drawn on posters and held aloft in real life, became a recurring theme during the march.

The mood grew tense near the White House when some protesters confronted National Guard members stationed in front of a military vehicle. Police quickly formed a barrier between the two sides, and the march continued without escalation.

Later, the protest joined a smaller group already demonstrating outside the White House, where at least one person was detained by U.S. Park Police and Secret Service officers.

Saturday’s rally was part of a wave of protests across the country. Demonstrations were also held in New York, Chicago, and Austin, Texas, where liberal groups mobilized against Republican-led redistricting efforts.

The D.C. march ended peacefully, but participants said the message was clear: they see Trump’s deployment of troops not as protection, but as an attack on their city and its people.