Anti-Trump Encampment at Union Station Dismantled by US Park Police

Interior Department officials say protestors violated their event permit.

WRITTEN BY KATE CORLISS | PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 3, 2025

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A 24-hour encampment organized by a coalition of anti-Trump protesters, which has been operating outside of Union Station for months, was dismantled by the United States Park Police early Friday morning.

The continuous encampment was organized by FLARE USA, a volunteer-led group that calls for “the impeachment and removal” of President Donald Trump. They’ve had tents set up on the lawn of Columbus Circle since May 1, and their activities were allowed by an event permit issued by the US Department of Interior.

Tori, a FLARE volunteer who was working at the encampment this morning, says an Interior Department official entered the tent around 5 AM and told organizers they had to get out. “I only had time to gather my stuff, and then we had to leave immediately,” she says. Then, she reports that authorities put up yellow police tape and started breaking down tents. Video recorded by eyewitnesses shows Park Police employees loading the contents of the tents into trucks. Volunteers say many of these items were their personal belongings, including a speaker, a DJ set, a suit, and art supplies.

“We were talking about offering our space to other organizations who cannot get a permit because of the government shutdown—because we have the existing permit, we have a stage, so we could have hosted other organizations,” says Leila, another FLARE volunteer. “So now they got rid of us.”

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