NEW YORK — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was largely drowned out by anti-Trump protesters when she spoke at a rally near Manhattan Criminal Court supporting the former president before his historic criminal arraignment Tuesday.
Law enforcement officers separated Trump supporters and his critics with rows of metal barricades before former President Donald Trump’s afternoon arrival as the first American commander-in-chief to face criminal charges.
“Happy arraignment day,” said anti-Trump protester Julie DeLaurier, 66, of Brooklyn, as the crowd swelled. “Lock him up.”
She was among the demonstrators expressing their support for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s hush money case against Trump over his alleged sexual romp with porn star Stormy Daniels.
The Trump backers barely outnumbered his critics, with roughly 300 people combined among the two groups as they faced off. Trump supporters and those backing the indictment faced off across opposite sides of Collect Pond Park near the courthouse.
“USA! USA!” chanted the pro-Trump crowd, while opponents responded ‘”Lock him up!” to the accompaniment of pounding drums.
The pro-Trump contingent included Greene, D-Ga., and fact-challenged Rep. George Santos of Long Island.
“This is election interference,” said Greene, whose arrival spawned a chaotic scene inside the park. “DA Alvin Bragg, he is a tool for the Democrats, he’s trying to hijack the 2024 election. This should never happen in America ... They will come after you tomorrow.”
Counter-protesters blew whistles and booed Greene as she was escorted away from a makeshift stage, although Santos received a much ruder greeting after turning up shortly before she spoke.
“You’re a b---h!” shouted one voice in the swelling lower Manhattan crowd. Nearby, a camouflage-wearing man waving an American flag ran through the demonstrators.
Trump returned Monday to New York for the unwelcome homecoming.
Protester Ricardo Varona, 62, of Manhattan, expressed his full support of the Queens-born Trump and predicted his return to the White House.
“The indictment ain’t happening,” he said. “They have to find something, because they see these rallies. He’s building, he’s trying to make the world better ... Trump will be the next president. I’ll vote for him.”
Colton Keeng, 19, traveled to the courthouse from Orlando, Florida, to support his fellow Floridian.
“It’s not that I have any special empathy for Trump but the opposition party is sending the message that they can selectively prosecute,” said Keeng, offering a nuanced take amid the craziness. “All of them are crooks, or none of them are crooks.”
DeLaurier, a registered Democrat, offered her support for President Joe Biden before adding the Trump prosecution was long overdue.
“He has never been accountable to the law,” she said. “And that’s the least of it. He tried to overthrow our democracy and he’s finally seeing the inside of a courtroom ... The man will finally be held accountable.”
Karen Irwin, 47, came downtown from Hell’s Kitchen waving a large “F--- Trump” flag.
“They believe they outnumber us and they believe they are the ones who run America,” said Irwin. “This is a celebration. We’re taking a tiny little win here.”
And Kofia Oliveri, 67, appeared with a Daily News front page reading “Trump Indicted,” featuring his addition of a clown face over a photo of the former president.
“He’s done so much damage,” said Oliveri, who took a train north from Philadelphia on his birthday. “I don’t understand why it took so long. I’m here to support the justice system. I’m against Trump.”
Scott Lobaido, a self-described Trump-backing artist and patriot from the city, predicted the indictment would only help the ex-president as he prepares to seek the GOP nomination again next year.
The criminal charges “will wake up the masses in this country,” he warned. “And the only way to fix this mess is for the radical left to pull back their reins and get us back to normal.”
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(With Josephine Stratman and Evan Simko-Bednarski)
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