Angry residents of a Washington high-rise apartment building gathered as federal agents, backed by Metropolitan Police Department officers, swooped in to encircle a delivery driver last week.

The armed agents with tactical vests arrived first. They were joined by District police officers and a truck brimming with the sorts of mopeds and scooters used by delivery drivers. Soon, the driver’s moped — representing another livelihood of a person at the bottom of Silicon Valley’s pecking order — was added to the pile.

Residents pleading for the driver’s release were ignored. As the police van drove away, one resident shouted at the driver, “Fuck you!” The officer lowered his window and spat in the resident’s direction.

Scenes like this have become common in a city under siege by President Do

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