- Donald Trump goes home to Florida following his arraignment over the hush money case
- "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) supporters gathered outside the NYC courtroom where the former president was held
- Violence erupted between the people who opposed and those who supported Trump's arraignment
Donald Trump's arraignment inside a Manhattan courtroom was met with MAGA supporters gathering outside the building to protest the former president's arrest.
In one instance, a woman wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap fell to the ground after she trampled an anti-Trump flag strewn across the ground near the courthouse. The supporter of the former president allegedly grabbed the banner that read, "TRUMP LIES ALL THE TIME," and laid on it before protesters confronted her in favor of the arraignment.
Donald Trump Arraignment Update
The Republican businessman flew home to Florida after the arraignment, where he is expected to deliver remarks on Tuesday. Over the weekend, the former president's lawyers said they planned to file a motion to dismiss all charges that stemmed from the investigation launched by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as per Fox News.
The situation followed the Manhattan grand jury's announcement last Thursday to indict the Republican businessman for his alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. While the indictment remains sealed, it was expected to be released to the public after Trump's arraignment.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, the former president said that the area where he was arraigned, Manhattan, was unfair and wanted the case to be moved to nearby States Island. He argued that the latter would be much fairer and is a more secure location for his trial.
The former president also claimed that the judge handling his case, Judge Juan Merchan, is highly partisan. The Republican businessman added that Merchan's family are well-known Trump haters.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene joined the rally outside of the Manhattan courtroom to oppose Trump's arraignment. She delivered brief remarks where she criticized Democrats, calling them "communists" and "failures," according to the New York Times.
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Law enforcement personnel in the area worked to separate pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators in Collect Pond. Despite being relatively peaceful, a small scuffle broke out between the two sides, with one person shouting at Greene, telling her to go back to Georgia.
During the arraignment, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records amid prosecutors' accusations that he orchestrated the hush money payments to the two women involved in the case.
In a statement, prosecutor Chris Conroy said that Trump falsified New York business records to hide the fact that there was an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other election law violations.
Prosecutors alleged that the former president made a series of threatening social media posts, with one claiming there would be "death and destruction" if he were criminally charged. The former president spent roughly an hour inside the courtroom before he was sent on his way home to Florida, said the Straits Times.
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