Protests erupt outside Trump Tower demanding ex-president’s arrest after he returns to NYC
Former president expected to stay in city until Tuesday, but reason for trip unknown
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Protests erupted outside Trump Tower demanding the ex-president’s arrest after he returned to New York for the first time since leaving office.
Anti-Trump protesters gathered outside his Manhattan skyscraper after he jetted into the city without wife Melania from Florida on Sunday.
Mr Trump is expected to stay in the city until Tuesday, although it is not known the reason for his visit.
The crowd outside the Fifth Avenue building where Mr Trump has a penthouse apartment, carried signs that read “Arrest Trump”, “Indict Trump”, and “Florida Man Go Home.”
Since leaving the White House on 20 January Mr Trump has been staying at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, but he lived in the 58-floor Trump Tower until he was sworn in as president in 2017.
Mr Trump, who was born and raised in the Queens borough of New York, changed his permanent residence to the state of Florida in 2019, and voted there in the 2020 election.
He was accompanied by secret service agents and NYPD officers as he arrived back in the city in a motorcade at 9pm on Sunday.
His trip comes as the Manhattan district attorney’s office has stepped up its criminal investigation into Mr Trump and the financial dealings at his company.
Former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, who is known for investigating organised crime cases, has been brought in by district attorney Cyrus Vance to look at the Trump Organization, according to reports.
The investigation is focused on possible bank-related and tax fraud, and the Supreme Court has allowed Mr Vance access to the ex-president’s tax returns, which he fought to keep away from prosecutors.
The tower, which brandishes the former president’s name in gold writing, attracted protests throughout the four years of Mr Trump’s time at the White House.
That included a “Black Lives Matter” mural that was painted on the street outside Trump Tower in July 2020, as New York City authorities criticised Mr Trump’s heavy-handed response to anti-racism protests across the US.
Mr Trump’s return to New York comes a week after he gave his first major speech since leaving office, at the CPAC event in Orlando, Florida.
And it also comes just days after it was reported that both Mr Trump and Melania Trump had received the Covid-19 vaccination in January, but had chosen to remain silent on doing so.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments