Donald Trump was in Manhattan for the first day of his hush money trial — and a circus of comedians and performance artists joined protesters for a sideshow to mark the historic occasion.
Opinions gushed like water from a busted water main, as demonstrators assembled in both diehard support and deep condemnation of Trump, the former president indicted by a grand jury last year of falsifying business records to allegedly cover up hush-money payments to a former porn star over a purported affair.
Just outside the courthouse at 100 Centre St., supporters flew a bright red flag reading “Trump or death” fluttered in the warm wind; above that flew that a much larger flag announcing “Trump 2024” rippled just above it.
Yet mere steps away, a man lifted a banner that simply displayed the word “loser” while another sign read “Trump lies.”
This was the juxtaposition between the two groups who planted their feet in Lower Manhattan, yet it the middle of it all internet stars and comedians looking for views also descended on Lower Manhattan.
“The significance today is it’s the first time in the history of our country that the leading candidate for president is stepping into a criminal trial,” said Andrew Giuliani, a Trump backer and son of former mayor Rudy Giuliani. “There’s no underlying felony. It’s why Donald’s case never should have been brought. But as long as you have a couple of unbiased jurors in that jury box, Donald Trump’s acquitted.”
Minutes later, viral Instagram performance artist known as Crackhead Barney — while half-naked — began grinding on Giuliani while debating him regarding Trump’s legal woes — just another showpiece in the Trump circus.
Meanwhile, ride or die fans of the former president refused to give amNewYork Metro their birth names, instead wishing to go by pseudonyms. One man who identified himself as Hungry Santa said he wants to show his support to Trump.
“I am here to support the 45th, 46th and 47th President,” the self-identifying Santa said — though that statement was partly incorrect, given that Joe Biden was elected the 46th president in 2020 in a contest which Congress certified despite the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection sparked by a mob of Trump supporters. It’s not a guarantee Trump will be the 47th president, either.
“I am here to show that New York supports him,” added Santa, though the record shows that no Republican has won New York state since 1984 – and that Trump lost New York both times he was on the presidential general election ballot, in 2016 and 2020.
However, when asked if he hailed from the Big Apple the bearded man simply responded: “No, I am from the North Pole.”
The bizarre situation continued to grow out of hand as some of the dueling protesters clashed in a flurry of pushes and obscene language. Police swiftly broke things up; amNewYork Metro did not observe any arrests.
On the other side of things activist Jay Walker says he believes he stands for most New Yorkers. Joining a small protest with the group Rise and Resist, Walker marched around 100 Centre St. denouncing Trump’s alleged crimes.
“We think it’s really important that people see New Yorkers are out here demanding that Donald Trump be accountable for his many crimes and we’re so glad this first criminal trial is taking place right here in New York,” Walker said.
