Not only were streets closed to traffic and pedestrians for President Donald Trump’s motorcade, but about 150 protestors of both in support and opposed to the president jammed the front of Madison Square Garden where he attended a wrestling match Saturday night.
Trump was in town despite having changed his official address to his Mara Largo golf resort in Palm Beach, Florida from Trump Tower, though he maintains a residence there.
Protestors screamed at each other but were generally peaceful according to police who formed a line between the two groups. About 100 protestors from RefuseFacism.org, Rise and Resist and other smaller groups gathered to oppose President Trump, while about 50 people showed their support for the president.
Both sides were dug into their positions on the president – the opposition to the president seeks his impeachment and removal from office, while the pro-Trump demonstrators called the impeachment inquiry fake news and called Trump, “the greatest president ever.”
Marchers in opposition of Trump marched from Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, then past Fox News on Sixth Avenue before arriving at Madison Square Garden.
Sunsara Taylor, a spokesperson at RefuseFacism.Org said her group was disappointed by the turnout for this protest.
“People are too passive, sitting and waiting – they are underestimating the danger Donald Trump represents,” Taylor said. “People have to wake up. They think the midterms will stop them, the election will stop them. We have to get people to rise up and drive them from power. We are here, we are small compared to others and yes we need to grow. If you are not acting to stop this and be out in the streets, then it doesn’t count.”
Taylor said she wasn’t surprised to hear Trump had change his address.
“He just didn’t want to pay the taxes,” Taylor said.
Despite have about a third of the anti trump numbers, Trump boosters were still ready to show their support for the President.
Diane Atkins of Bay Ridge said the president was doing a “fantastic job.”
“He made a lot of promises during the campaign and he’s kept them,” Atkins said as she waved a sign touting Project Remembrance representing people killed by illegal aliens. “We now have the lowest unemployment rate for minorities and women in over half a century. He’s pulled back so many regulations that business and the stock market are booming.”
She criticized demonstrators who were calling for impeachment, saying “he literally did nothing, I’m worried for future of this country, blinded by their hatred of President Trump to allow this unconstitutional sham of impeachment to go on.”
“These guys are f–ing retards, – hey u asked a Brooklyn guy,” said Tony Blass of Fort Greene surrounded by other Trump supporters. “You want to impeach Trump, then who’s left in office? Impeaching him is wrong and we voted for him four years ago, and yes, I’m all for Trump, but that’s the right way to do it.”
As the Trump supporters waved their flags and banners, an anti Trump demonstrator yelled on a mega phone “Trump, get out of the White House.”
Pauline Frommer of Manhattan said she was disappointed that there weren’t more people opposed to President Trump.
“There are a lot of people that think that Trump should be impeached and they should be here with us,” Frommer said as she held a poster that her daughter made with magic markers. “I know it was a bit last minute, but people have to come out here and say what they feel.”
President Trump left this morning to return to the White House, just as the NYC Marathon got underway.
