New York police have erected metal fences around Trump Tower and blocked off streets around the Manhattan courthouse where the former US president is scheduled to appear on Tuesday Donald Trump to indict him.

Following the grand jury’s decision last week, Trump became the first former US president to be indicted. The case concerns the payment of $130,000 to porn star stormy daniels in order not to reveal their relationship during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

The Republican himself, who is running for re-election in 2024, has denounced “a political prosecution” and a “witch hunt”, repeating that he is innocent.

Trump is expected to arrive in New York from Florida today and spend the night at Trump Tower before appearing in court tomorrow.

Joe Tacopina, one of his lawyers, indicated yesterday that he expects more information today about the process that will be followed on Tuesday, adding that the Secret Service, which protects the current president and former presidents of the United States, will have a role. .

At the same time, Tacopina stressed that Trump’s lawyers will thoroughly examine the allegations against him, when they become known, in order to find anything that will help them challenge them. Besides, he estimated that at some point a request will be submitted to dismiss the charges.

“I honestly don’t know how the process is going to go – hopefully as smoothly as possible – and then we’ll start the battle to correct this mistake,” Tacopina told CNN.

Demonstrations

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green tweeted yesterday an invitation for party supporters to rally with her near the courthouse on Tuesday, saying “they’re not targeting President Trump, they’re targeting us, he’s just in the middle.”

“Protest is a constitutional right,” Green emphasized, while adding that “I will demonstrate against this unprecedented abuse of our judicial system and interference in elections.”

The New York City Police, however, stressed that there are no credible security threats in the city. “Police remain ready to respond as needed and guarantee that everyone will be able to peacefully exercise their rights,” it said in a statement.

Some social media users have called for the execution of New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg and members of the grand jury that indicted Trump, according to the Site Intelligence Group.

After the former president falsely claimed victory in the 2020 election, his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

But many of his supporters have now expressed weariness with the protests, also worried they will be arrested.

While the spectacle of indictments against a former president is expected to attract media attention, it is not clear whether it will attract large numbers of protesters.

Trump is from New York, but he didn’t win many votes there: only 23% of New Yorkers voted for him in 2020 and 18% in 2016.

A court official said Trump is scheduled to appear before a judge at 2:14 p.m. (local time, 9:15 p.m. Greece time) on Tuesday. He will then return to Florida and is expected to make statements from Mar-a-Lago at 20:15 (03:15 Greek time), his office said.