United States: effervescence in New York before Trump's historic appearance in court

Security officers ensure the establishment of a security perimeter around the Manhattan courthouse that is to receive the visit of Donald Trump for his indictment, April 4, 2023. REUTERS - CAITLIN OCHS

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Donald Trump arrived in his former city of New York to experience, this Tuesday, April 4, what no other former American president has known: indicted in a case of payment to a star of the X, he will appear in court in New York during an unprecedented hearing that divides and fascinates America.

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Change of atmosphere for Donald Trump. On Monday afternoon, he left his adopted Florida, where his supporters had organized to support him on the road to the airport (read below).

After a flight aboard his personalized Boeing, he arrived, followed by helicopters, at Trump Tower to spend the night. His supporters were less numerous. It must be said that the New York electorate is not really favorable to him. New York City has been preparing for this unprecedented event.

Around the Manhattan courthouse, it is impossible to walk 100 meters without crossing patrols, noted our correspondent Loubna Anaki. For several days, the inhabitants have seen their neighborhood turn into a fortified area. "I have never seen so many policemen, court officers, or so many police cars! And they also have machines to detect possible explosives," says one woman. "That's something! I wouldn't like to be in Donald Trump's shoes at all! We reap what we sow, if it is what it deserves, it is only justice! " said another passerby when interviewed.

The authorities mobilized to counter any overflow

A security device set up by the NYPD (the New York police), the Marshals, but also the secret services responsible for protecting the former president. Even if the risk of riots remains minimal according to the authorities, the approximately 35,000 police officers are ready to intervene and New Yorkers say they feel safe. The city's mayor, Eric Adams, has warned potential troublemakers that no violence will be tolerated, says our Washington correspondent, Guillaume Naudin. Some planned to protest not far from the prosecutor's office: "New York is a Democratic city and after what happened on Capitol Hill on January 6 [2021], I think people are prepared.

While you are in our city, be on your best behavior.

As always, we will not allow violence or vandalism of any kind, and if someone is caught participating in any act of violence, they will be arrested and held accountable, no matter who you are. https://t.co/xXv0HkAq63

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 3, 2023 Donald Trump will go to the courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to appear before the judge and be formally charged. He should be photographed to open his criminal case. On the other hand, it is difficult to know if he will appear handcuffed, as is often the case in New York.

His lawyers hope it will go painlessly, and it is likely that the Secret Service, which provides security for Donald Trump, will want to limit his exposure to the minimum necessary. At least until he returns in the evening to Mar-a-Lago, where he plans to speak after this historic day. But he won't be alone. Outside the courthouse, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has planned a protest in support of the former president.

In Florida, Donald Trump supporters denounce "a travesty of justice"

A few hundred Trump supporters gathered Monday outside his Mara-a-Lago residence and on the road to Palm Beach airport; Florida; to support the former president as he leaves for the New York court. A departure from his stronghold staged Trump-style, reports our correspondent, David Thomson.

The convoy arrived at the Palm Beach airport to the cheers of Trumpist supporters who came to cheer on the former head of state as he left for Manhattan. Through the window of his car, Donald Trump greeted the crowd with a simple thumbs up, in a sign of defiance in the face of his indictment.

Christina, a retiree from Florida, said she was relieved to see her president combative: "It's a travesty of justice. They want to stop Trump from running in 2024, but he's going to show up and he's going to win! »

Behind her, Laura Loomer, a figure of the American far right, shouted the slogans of the day through a megaphone: "Trump has done nothing wrong", "Alvin Bragg in prison"... Convinced, she hammered: "All this is just fake news. It is well known that Trump never had an affair with Stormy Daniels. It's a witch hunt. Donald Trump is the greatest president in our history. And that's why I drove four hours to be here this morning!

The day before, Trump campaign teams had sent hundreds of messages calling on local activists to gather en masse along the road between the Mar-a-Lago residence and the airport. The sign that Donald Trump wants to make his surrender to the New York prosecutor a political spectacle.

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• United States
• Donald Trump
• Justice