It is clear what is to happen in New York on Tuesday. But the great unknown is how the indictment reading for ex-US President Donald Trump will take place. The security authorities in the US metropolis are preparing for all conceivable scenarios.
According to media reports, Trump is likely to be briefly detained for the court date that has been set, in order to take his fingerprints and take so-called mugshots, i.e. police photos, of him. After all, it is unlikely that the 76-year-old will be handcuffed, as is quite common in such situations. For this, Trump must appear before the prosecutor’s office in Manhattan.
It is not yet officially known what exactly the public prosecutor’s office accuses the ex-president of. The indictment will remain classified until it is read. It is said to be about illegal campaign financing because Trump paid hush money to the porn actress Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election and is said to have miscalculated her via his lawyer. Daniels had claimed she had sex with him. Trump denies an affair, but not that money flowed. It is the first time in US history that a former president has been impeached.
Reporters describe the mood in New York before Trump’s appearance as tense. The reason is that Trump has repeatedly called on his supporters to support him. Memories of the storming of the Capitol in January 2021 were awakened.
To prevent riots, the New York police are on alert. The most visible signs are the barriers with bars that have been in place around the Manhattan courthouse for a few days. The surrounding streets are closed to car traffic.
There is also an increased police presence. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is mobilizing all available forces for the indictment. At least 35,000 uniformed men and women are said to be ready to prevent possible riots. There are also thousands of civil servants. “It’s going to be a combination of the Secret Service, the District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD coordinating a security matrix to make sure this doesn’t turn into a fiasco and everything happens as safely as possible,” a former NYPD official told CBS. The security level is comparable to the arrangements for the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, which has always been one of the busiest hours for the New York police.
According to the Washington Post, the secret service responsible for protecting the ex-president has already made preparations for Trump’s arrival and, among other things, inspected the courthouse.
“We will never tolerate violence or property damage,” said a spokesman for the NYPD, pointing out, among other things, that the carrying of firearms at gatherings around the courthouse is prohibited.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said through a spokesman that there are “no credible threats to the city at this time,” adding, “The NYPD is always ready to respond to events that occur.”
Manhattan’s District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has repeatedly been approached personally by Trump and his fans and has also received death threats, has also been personally protected for a long time. Details on this were not known.
New York police are on a tightrope, says CNN analyst and former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow. She must protect the protesters in exercising their constitutional rights while stopping any kind of violent activity that might result from these protests.
Most recently, voices from both the Democratic and Republican camps were increasing, calling for de-escalation. However, it is by no means a foregone conclusion that the indictment will be read out quietly on Tuesday. Trump will plead not guilty, according to his attorney.
During the reading of the indictment against former US President Donald Trump, no video cameras will be allowed to broadcast live from the court. The responsible judge Juan Merchan rejected a request from a number of media on Monday evening (local time), as reported. However, five photographers are allowed to take photos at the beginning of the indictment reading. The media organizations had justified their application with the public interest, Trump’s lawyers blocked video transmission.
The court date was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. (local time; 8:15 p.m. CEST). Trump then wants to travel back to his private residence Mar-a-Lago in the state of Florida and make a statement there in the evening.
Sources: Washington Post, CBS, CNN, DPA news agency
