Donald Trump’s Arraignment Drew Crowds, Chaos To New York

In another tense exchange, a man who appeared to be a sound technician for a TV crew could be seen jostling with and swearing at another individual in a tense exchange. 

Mostly though, the scene felt surreal — even, apparently, to Trump himself. “Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse,” he wrote on Truth Social as he left his residence at Trump Tower and headed south. “Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”

Yes, there were outlandish characters who came dressed as Abraham Lincoln or Freddy Krueger or Melania Trump on safari. There was a guy on rollerblades spinning — admittedly, rather impressively — a basketball on a flag, and another man who had held a sign that read, “My pronouns are NOT/GUILTY.” Even New York City’s famed Naked Cowboy came down from his usual spot in Times Square to bask in some of the free-flowing media attention. 

But the most shocking ridiculousness was what you could hear, not just see. There were cries about the seep state and the Chinese Communist Party. There were chants about President Joe Biden’s “crackhead son” or how “children can’t consent.” And there were antisemitic signs condemning George Soros and District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s “Jews,”  and others calling COVID-19 a lie.

Reflecting on what he’d heard among the attendees, NBC News reporter Ben Collins tweeted, “Our country’s transformation into a comment section is complete.”

But the most pandemonium came not when Trump arrived, but two other Republican officials. 

Rep. George Santos, the New York member of Congress renowned for his own extensive lies, showed up at the park shortly after 9:30 a.m., was mobbed by a crush of reporters, then quickly departed. “George, you should have shown up in drag!” one person yelled.