VP Vance confronted by protestors at Union Station as tensions over DC federal takeover grow

Washington, DC - Vice President J.D. Vance, Mayor Muriel Bowser and MPD Police Chief Pamela Smith all fielded questions Wednesday from reporters about the Trump administration’s federal intervention in D.C.

Vance met with members of the National Guard at Union Station, where several protesters heckled him and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who came to thank troops and give them food.

What he said:

"You talk about human rights, you hear these people outside screaming ‘free D.C.,'" Vance said. "Let's free D.C. from lawlessness. Let's free Washington, D.C. from one of the highest murder rates in the world," he continued.

"It's kind of bizarre that we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they've never felt danger in their entire lives." 

Vance also claimed DC has seen a 35 percent reduction in violent crime over the past nine days and said D.C. law enforcement officers have told him they feel empowered now to do their jobs.

READ MORE: National Guard expands patrols to DC Metro stations

Dig deeper:

Meanwhile, earlier in the day at another event, Mayor Bowser went on record and said she does not believe the National Guard should be used for law enforcement purposes. 

We know the DOJ is now investigating MPD over allegations that crime statistics were manipulated, as President Trump has repeatedly suggested.

When pressed by reporters about that today, Mayor Bowser maintained crime has gone down but said the city will respond and cooperate with an investigation. She also said plainly she does not believe federal agents should wear masks as they make arrests.

"We believe in our environment, an urban environment, that there’s no reason for an official to wear a mask," she said. "We believe that it’s not a law enforcement, or people are in the umbrella of the Justice Department. You don’t see them doing that." 

Earlier in the day on Wednesday, one person was also hurt in a crash involving a national guard vehicle in Southeast. The Guard confirmed to FOX 5 it collided with a car just after 6; the driver of the car was trapped, rescued, then taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. 

READ MORE: 1 injured in crash involving DC National Guard vehicle

By the numbers:

The Washington Post also revealed a poll the paper conducted that said about eight in 10 Washington residents oppose President Trump's federal intervention in the district. 

It also revealed a record high of people who support statehood, and noted a sharp decline in the number of residents who believe crime is a "very serious" problem. 

Vance said he was skeptical of the poll when asked about it by reporters.