What to Know
New York City is gearing up security again for possible protests and unrest after a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump on ThursdayTrump ally U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene arrived in NYC for Trump’s expected arraignment on Tuesday; the indictment likely won’t be unsealed until thenThe NYPD has said it is aware of no credible threats to NYC at this point; it’s unclear if any potential organized actions may intensify post-indictment, but with the pall of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection still looming large, law enforcement at all levels of government are preparing accordingly
Throngs of onlookers overwhelmed some of the former president’s most vocal supporters Tuesday morning outside the lower Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was scheduled to show hours later for his afternoon arraignment.
A morning “Rally for Trump” in support of the ex-president had been expected to draw numbers, including headlining speaker Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Republican lawmaker arrived amid the chaotic crowds of pro and anti-Trump supporters where she delivered brief remarks.
Shouting through a small handheld megaphone, Greene’s message to Trump’s supporters was essentially drowned out by the mess of crowds and media gathered outside. Security whisked her away a few minutes later. It wasn’t clear if she would return.
The controversial Republican had brief support from Rep. George Santos, who appeared among the courthouse chaos half an hour before the rally’s official start time. He left around 10 a.m. with no plan to return. During his “blink and “blink and you’ll miss it” appearance, the Long Island politician criticized Bragg and expressed his support for Trump.
New York’s own Rep. Jamaal Bowman was among the crowd shouting as Greene left the Manhattan courthouse.
Anti-Trump protestors unfurled a large banner saying “Trump Lies All the Time.” A brief scuffle broke out between pro and anti-Trump supporters, with the former tearing up a banner outside the courthouse. NBC News reports police intervened and separated the groups.
A supporter of former US President Donald Trump tears up a banner from anti trump supporters during a protest outside of Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 4, 2023. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
LIVE CAM: See the scene outside Manhattan Criminal Court.
Crowd estimates can’t be certain, but the number of spectators outside Trump Tower and the Manhattan courthouse has steadily ticked up since Monday, when the former president traveled from Mar-a-Lago to New York.
With the pall of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection still looming large, the NYPD and its law enforcement partners at all levels of government have been preparing for any eventuality. At a press conference the day before, the head of the NYPD warned of rolling street closures and increased police presence, both likely to gum up movement around Manhattan.
Some may just want to stay out of the city — especially if they intend to cause any disruption, Mayor Eric Adams added.
The Democrat and former police officer urged self-restraint for any protesters on either side who plan to converge on Manhattan this week. Adams specifically called out ardent Trump loyalist U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who tweeted last week she planned to come to New York to support him Tuesday.
“Control yourselves. This city isn’t a playground for your misplaced anger,” Adams said Monday. “People like MTG, who is known for spreading misinformation and hate speech, she stated that she’s coming to our town. While you’re here, be on your best behavior.”
The former president had vocal support over the weekend in New York from a number of Republican allies, including possible presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor took the stage in Long Island alongside Rep. Lee Zeldin to blast Bragg for what he called a “flimsy” indictment.
“They’re trying to do all these legal gymnastics to try and act like it’s a felony when almost every other time he’s trying to take the felonies and downgrade them to misdemeanors,” DeSantis said Saturday.
Some demonstrated after Trump told the globe he expected to be arrested, but those protests were largely muted. The NYPD has said there’s no credible threat to the city at this point, and it has ordered every member of the department to report in full uniform Friday.
That mandate is a precautionary measure and covers about 36,000 NYPD officers and 19,000 civilian employees. It comes as top officials shore up security plans ahead of what potentially could be a busy weekend of pro- and anti-Trump demonstrations throughout the city, especially in front of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan.
The Fifth Avenue location has continued to attract supporters, opponents and tourists who just want to see the scene.
An Eric Adams spokesman said, “The mayor is in constant contact with Commissioner Sewell about all public safety issues affecting the city. The NYPD continues to monitor all activity and there are no credible threats to the city at this time. The NYPD always remains prepared to respond to events happening on the ground and keep New Yorkers safe.”
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine also said he was bracing for whatever may come, tweeting last week that “NYPD and other law enforcement agencies have been planning and coordinating intensively for this moment. New York City is ready. If there is a Trump mob, they have lost the element of surprise.”
Security is expected to be more intense in Lower Manhattan, where NYPD officers escorted District Attorney Alvin Bragg from his office last week. The kind of security needed to get the former president in and out of the same building poses an unprecedented logistical challenge the NYPD and the court system say they are prepared for.
The grand jury indictment has remained sealed and is expected to stay sealed until Trump’s arraignment. Multiple sources say it includes about 30 counts of document fraud-related charges. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
