Trump Trial - Ringside Seat to the Circus

Trump on Trial Amid Protests

Scenes of some of the protesters outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial. -Photos by David Greene

By David Greene 

Manhattan Voice 

April 24, 2024 

MANHATTAN - In what many are calling the ‘trial of the century’, former President Donald J. Trump arrived at Manhattan Criminal Court on Centre Street where he faces 41 felony counts of falsifying business records pertaining to a $130,000 payment to porn star "Stormy" Daniels, days before the 2016 Presidential election.

 

The historic criminal trial, the first against a former U.S. president, kicked off on April 22. As Trump arrived, he stopped at the metal barricade where he had been speaking to members of the media during jury selection.

 

As Trump arrived at the courtroom, he stopped to tell reporters, "It's a very, very sad day for America."

 

Two hours before the trial kicked off, Trump had posted to Truth Social, "Go out and peacefully protest. Rally behind MAGA. Save our country."

 

However, more Trump supporters had shown up at the courthouse the previous week during jury selection. At the start of the trial there were just a handful of supporters inside of Collect Pond Park, including former White House staffer Andrew Giluiani.

 

Several entrances to Collect Pond Park were closed, and the park was split into sections with police barricades-- after a Florida man used an accelerant, he poured on himself before setting himself on fire moments after it was announced that a jury had been selected.

 

The man, identified by the NYPD as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, died from his injuries the following day at Weill Cornell Medical Center. 

During the first three days of the trial a handful of protesters for various causes milled around outside the courthouse. In addition to both pro and and anti-Trump protesters, anti-Israel protesters were also present. 

 

The trial is expected to take between four to six weeks. If convicted, Trump faces a maximum penalty of four years for each individual charge, up to a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.