Donald Trump : The ferry, originating from Rockaway town in Queens, docked at Pier 11, a small port situated in the southern region of Manhattan, at 10 o’clock in the morning.
Amidst the crowd of commuters, a woman with bleached blonde hair and donning pink lycra attire disembarked from the ferry, which functions as a component of the city’s public transportation system.
The transparent backpack stood out from the woman’s spring outfit, revealing all its contents. The previous night, New York Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell had cautioned that certain streets would be shut down, and security checks would be enforced.
When asked about the new regulations prohibiting firearms in certain areas of the city, Sewell remarked, “If the need arises, we will not hesitate to establish checkpoints.”
The southern section of Manhattan, commonly referred to as the Financial District or “FiDi” and housing New York’s primary financial establishments, resembled a movie set straight out of a typical Sunday film.
Amidst the joggers, tourist groups, businesspeople in suits, and blossoming trees, the blonde strolled along the Manhattan streets and sidewalks, seemingly unaffected by the possibility of a security check. Her attire, including the transparent bag, appeared to be chosen based on the weather, rather than in anticipation of a bag search. All around her, hundred-year-old buildings cast their shadows.
As she walked several blocks up, the atmosphere between Lower Manhattan and Chinatown shifted. The sidewalks were now filled with news vans from major media outlets and trucks branded with the New York Police Department logo.
Clusters of police officers, consisting of four to six individuals, were strolling along in unison, while others were stationed like chess pieces in front of the New York County Supreme Court and the Criminal Court, which were only a few streets apart.
In that building, a historic event was unfolding, as a former president of the United States and current presidential candidate was about to face criminal charges for the first time.
On Tuesday morning, Republican congresswoman from Georgia and avid Trump supporter, Marjorie Taylor-Greene, suggested the meeting location. The aim was to stage a protest against what they viewed as the “political persecution” of the former president.
At 11 a.m., the entire square surface of Collect Pond Park was fenced diagonally, extending up to the foot of the City Criminal Court.
At the northern corner of the Collect Pond Park, protesters who favored the impeachment against Donald Trump were exchanging shouts with those at the southern corner, who were aligned with the former president. The proportion between the two sides seemed balanced despite being small, fitting to the park’s modest size.
Around the square, there were several policemen, journalists, and vans. On the side of the square that faced the justice building, there were numerous media tents set up between benches and trees. Tourists, some workers, amateur photographers, influencers, and performers were also present in the area.
Carlos Calzadilla-Palacio expressed his excitement as he sat on one of the park benches and ate his lunch. “I’ve been waiting for this day for seven years,” he said.
Calzadilla-Palacio, who is a vice president of the Brooklyn Young Democrats, a youth-led political organization and a pro-immigration activist, took a break from his lunch to witness the protest. He expressed his excitement by saying, “It’s a historic day,” while smiling.
Groups of protesters gathered for several hours near the fenced area, exchanging shouts and engaging in discussions. One banner on the side of those supporting the former president read, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Ana, who is originally from El Salvador, joined the group of protesters in support of the former president and expressed her views on the situation. “This is a witch hunt. They have been trying to remove Donald Trump from the presidential race since 2016,” she said. Ana also pointed out the thousands of immigrants who have fled from South American countries such as Venezuela, due to the leftist government, and found a home in the United States. “People are tired of the left trying to infiltrate the United States,” she added.
Jaime González, who was originally from Puebla, Mexico, was resting on one of the benches on the side of the square that was against the former president. He had a cardboard poster at his feet that at least four photographers asked to take a picture of. The poster read “Lock him up”.
González expressed his frustration with the amount of media coverage and attention given to Donald Trump, stating that it felt like too much propaganda for his re-election campaign. He pointed out the large number of media outlets present for the long hours leading up to Tuesday’s appearance.
González emphasized that “at the end of the day, if they find him guilty of a crime, he is a criminal.” He also mentioned that he had been protesting against Donald Trump even before he became president.
While on his way to court from Donald Trump Tower, the former president expressed his apparent perplexity on his social network Truth Social, stating, “On the way to Lower Manhattan courthouse. It all seems surreal. Wow, they’re going to arrest me. I can’t believe this is happening in the United States.”
What’s Next for the City Amid Charges and Hearings
At around 2 p.m., Donald Trump arrived at the Criminal Court building in Manhattan.
A group of police officers, fences, journalists, supporters, and opponents had been waiting for him under the scorching sun for at least an hour.
Journalists sat on the ground with computers and cameras in the surrounding streets, displaying their equipment on street corners. Groups of policemen walked by with drinks from Starbucks. In Collect Pond Park, only a few people remained around the fencing wall.
A few blocks down the road, a slender man with fine gray hair was charging his cellphone at one of the charging stations provided for public use, all while keeping his gaze fixed towards the direction of the park.
The media has been covering this story for weeks, and I’ve been watching it all from my building,” said the man, whose apartment window faced the park
As Donald Trump’s appearance approached, which began as a self-proclaimed warning of arrest, the media speculated on the number of protesters who would join him in protest. The man with gray hair, who had been observing the media for weeks from his building, reflected on the impact of the issue on the city, pointing to the busy small businesses and restaurants along the street. He acknowledged that the case of the former president was just beginning.
Hours later, from Mar-a-lago on the southern tip of the East Coast, Trump closed the night with a self-defense speech: “I never thought something like this could happen in the United States,” he said. “The only crime I have committed is fearlessly defending our nation from those who seek to destroy it.”