Hindus for Human Rights Statement on President Trump’s Invocation of Section 740 in Washington, D.C.

President Trump’s decision to invoke Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to take direct federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department is more than a local power grab—it’s part of a global pattern. Across the world, authoritarians consolidate power by weakening local democracy, exerting control over police forces, and criminalizing dissent. We’ve seen it in India under the BJP government, in Israel’s militarization of occupied territories, and in other countries where central authorities use “security” as a pretext for repression.

This is not about keeping people safe. If it were, the White House would be investing in the real infrastructure of safety: housing, jobs, health care, restorative justice, alleviating poverty, and grassroots-led violence prevention. Instead, the message is clear—critics will be met with force, and communities who do not align with the administration’s politics can expect to have their autonomy stripped away overnight.

In Hindu tradition, the rightful use of power is bound by dharma— a personal responsibility towards justice, accountability, and the protection of the vulnerable. Centralizing armed force without the consent of the people violates this principle and increases the risk of harm to those already targeted by systemic racism, poverty, and displacement.

Washington, D.C. is not a pawn in a political game; it is a community of more than 700,000 people – many of them unrepresented Black communities – who deserve full rights, representation, and the power to decide their own future. We stand in solidarity with the people of D.C. and with communities worldwide resisting authoritarian overreach. Real safety comes from deep democracy—not from the heavy hand of repression.