Trump backers, opponents gather near NY Court where he'll be charged
Trump opponents want him to be arrested, while some supporters hold signs that read "Trump or death".
-
Supporters of former President Donald Trump argue with opponents outside the Manhattan District Attorney's office in New York City on April 4, 2023, ahead of Trump's expected appearance before a New York judge to answer criminal charges (AFP)
Backers and opponents of US former President Donald Trump gathered near the court in Manhattan, where Trump is expected to be charged, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene on Tuesday.
A fence has been set up in the square near the court building to separate around a hundred backers and another smaller group of his opponents.
The opponents are accusing the former president of lying and want him to be locked up, while those who back him are carrying flags with his name, including one that says "Trump or death."
A large number of New York Police Department officers stood around the court along with several reporters and TV crews.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social network that the court - based in a district where Democrats have strong support - would be dishonest, and the case should be moved to Staten Island.
It is worth noting that the indictment was voted on by the grand jury on Thursday afternoon and filed under seal, Politico reported citing two people familiar with the matter.
Trump is appearing in Manhattan for his in-person arraignment on charges related to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to his 2016 campaign.
The lawsuit filed by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office against Trump focuses on a $130,000 payment to Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with Trump. He has denied the relationship and denied any wrongdoing.
How would this impact elections?
Trump's attorney, Joseph Tacopina, said there has been no legal basis for setting this precedent and that he did not think the prosecutors had decided "one way or another."
Tacopina proclaimed "It’s just another example of them weaponizing the justice system against him," adding that "it's sort of unfair."
On Truth Social, Trump wrote, in reference to the case, that it was a "Witch-Hunt trying to take down the leading candidate, by far, in the Republican Party."
Read: Trump secures support of 37 House Republicans: Reports
The Trump indictment is becoming a symbol of a rift between the Democrats and Republicans in the US, especially in public opinion.
“This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history,” Trump stated.
“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable — indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference.”
The indictment is certain to cast a shadow over Trump's 2024 presidential candidacy and opens the door to several possibilities. He may have to run for President while facing a criminal trial if he enters a not-guilty plea and the matter proceeds to trial, which can take several months. However, if he were to win a second term while being sentenced to prison or already serving one, several constitutional problems would arise. On the other hand, some consider that Trump's indictment spells trouble for Biden's political dreams.
It is worth noting that Trump could also face criminal charges for his alleged attempts to tamper with Georgia's 2020 election results, for taking classified papers from the White House (and thwarting efforts to get them back), and for his alleged participation in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
