On April 4, 2023, former US President Donald Trump arrived at his Manhattan residence amidst a heavy police presence and barricades. While a small group of pro-Trump supporters gathered with a banner reading “Finish the Wall Trump 24,” they were outnumbered by journalists and anti-Trump demonstrators, including one dressed as a devil covered in fake $100 bills to represent the hush money at the heart of Trump’s indictment over a payment to a porn actress.
Trump is famously unpopular in Democratic-leaning New York, where he made his name as a brash real estate developer-turned reality TV star. However, some New Yorkers expressed support for the indictment, with one retiree stating that it’s good to show that nobody is above the law. Another New Yorker emphasized that the issue is about justice, not sides.
The indictment follows a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels. The former president’s supporters accused New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg of engaging in a political conspiracy to prevent Trump from retaking the White House next year and repeated long-debunked claims that the Democratic Party stole the election from Trump when Joe Biden upset him in 2020. Despite the media excitement and small demonstrations, life went on in the city used to the gaze of outsiders.
