New York police increased security on Monday in anticipation of a possible historic indictment of former President Donald Trump over hush money payments to a porn actress, with the ex-president calling for huge protests if he is charged.
Only a few dozen Trump supporters turned out for a demonstration in America’s financial capital on Monday evening, as a grand jury considers Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s probe into the 2016 payment to Stormy Daniels.
If an indictment is issued, Trump will be the first former or current president to be charged with a crime, sending shockwaves through the 2024 White House contest, in which the 76-year-old is vying for re-election.
Bragg, an elected Democrat, has not publicly revealed any plans, but has recently called key witnesses and offered Trump the opportunity to testify.
During the weekend, Trump stated that he expects to be “arrested” on Tuesday and urged fans to “protest, take our country back!” Notwithstanding the fact that his lawyer stated that the comments were based on media reporting and not on any new prosecutors’ activity.
Some US media outlets speculated that the panel would decide to indict when it reconvenes on Wednesday after interviewing its final witness, lawyer Robert Costello, on Monday.
By building barricades outside Bragg’s office and Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, the NYPD prepared for an unprecedented arrest in which an ex-president of the United States would be fingerprinted and potentially detained.
According to the New York Times, more than a dozen senior police officers met with mayoral aides on Sunday to discuss protest security and contingency plans.
According to NBC News, police and other law enforcement agencies conducted “preliminary security assessments,” including establishing a security cordon around Manhattan Criminal Court, where Trump is expected to appear before a judge.
Leading Democrats have warned that Trump’s calls could spark a repetition of the violence unleashed by his supporters on the US Capitol in January 2021.
Some Trump fans in an online organisation called “The Donald” called for a “national strike” and “Civil War 2.0” to protect Trump and protest any arrest.
However, there was no sign of a significant movement, and Trump supporters like as his sons and leading commentators have not openly supported mass protests, as they did when President Joe Biden defeated Trump in 2020.
A tiny demonstration organised by the New York Young Republican Club in lower Manhattan went off without incident. Bragg’s investigation focuses on a $130,000 payment made weeks before the 2016 election to keep Daniels from speaking out about an encounter she claims she had with Trump years before.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s ex-lawyer-turned-enemy, claims he made the payment and was later reimbursed. If Daniels’ money is not properly accounted for, he might face a misdemeanour prosecution for manipulating corporate records.
If the false accounting was intended to conceal a second crime, such as a campaign finance violation, the charge might be elevated to a felony. This week, Cohen appeared in front of a grand jury, and Daniels is working with prosecutors.
An indictment would kick off a protracted process that could last months as the case dealt with a slew of legal hurdles and moved towards jury selection.
Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and referred to the probe as a “witch hunt.” His vice president, Mike Pence, called the investigation a “politically tinged prosecution.” Trump is being investigated for probable violations at the state and federal levels, which might jeopardise his fresh presidential bid.
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A prosecutor in Georgia is looking into Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the southern state. According to the forewoman, the grand jury in that instance has recommended many indictments.
A federal investigation is also looking into the former president’s handling of confidential papers, as well as his alleged role in the January 6 violence. Some commentators feel an indictment will hurt Trump’s chances in 2024, while others believe it will help him.
