New York City prepares for a possible Trump indictment with steel barricades, cameras, and costumes
As people wait to hear if former president Donald Trump will be indicted, the scene outside of Manhattan's criminal court is anything but routine.
As the question of whether former President Donald Trump will be indicted loomed, supporters and detractors alike gathered Tuesday outside Manhattan’s criminal court to be a part of the unprecedented event.
In front of the Lower Manhattan courthouse, New York police officers assembled steel barricades. Officers of every rank were ordered to wear uniforms and prepare for deployment. Small protests — both for and against Trump — formed outside the courthouse, the district attorney’s office, and Trump Tower in New York.
In a post on his social media platform Saturday, Trump claimed that his arrest is imminent, and issued a call for his supporters to protest as a New York grand jury investigates hush-money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president.
Even as Trump’s lawyer and spokesperson said there had been no communication from prosecutors, Trump declared in his post that he expected to be taken into custody on Tuesday. When the day arrived, “Indictment Watch” began trending online and groups started assembling.
» READ MORE: Is a Trump indictment happening? Here’s what we know.
The pro-Trump gatherings throughout New York were small on Tuesday. GOP members, including Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, said they didn’t think people should protest Trump’s potential indictment. In some cases, protesters came together to instead call for his arrest.
Law enforcement — especially in New York and Washington — braced for impact, reports showed.
An internal memo instructed NYPD officers to be prepared for mobilization at any time, News 4 reported. Senior officials from the district attorney’s office and the stage agency that runs the New York courts discussed possible indictment and arraignment security plans, the New York Times reported. Security detailing for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whom Trump has publicly spoken out against, was also discussed.
In D.C., workers placed fencing around the Capitol building.
To date, Trump faces more than a dozen investigations, both criminal and civil, which include his handling of classified documents, voter-fraud allegations, and his role in the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.
On TikTok, observers documented the crowds forming in front of the courthouse and the Manhattan district attorney’s office. One video showed the original poster holding a teriyaki bowl outside the courthouse with the caption “Tailgating the Trump arrest.” Other videos showed people dressed up as and mocking the former president. Popular TikToker @MartyMorua posted a series of videos featuring someone walking outside Trump Tower and throughout Manhattan in a Trump mask and a fake United States Disciplinary Barracks orange prison jumpsuit.
Law enforcement officials say they will cover high-profile locations throughout the week as needed.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.