No gag order, but judge wants Trump to avoid inciting violence or “civil unrest”

Police in New York were forced to set up barricades to separate loud pro- and anti-Trump protesters last week, as former President Donald Trump was arraigned. The NYPD officers had to stand in the middle as demonstrators on each side shouted insults and profanities at each other. The former President’s supporters held signs in his defense while others called for his arrest with signs reading “lock him up” and “Trump is the definition of depravity”. There was a heavy presence of both the media and police on the scene.

Denise Gumora, one of Trump’s supporters, was firm in her belief that Trump “does not belong in that building”, indicating that he is innocent against accusations of fraud filed against him. Another Trump supporter, Florida state Rep. Anthony Sabatini said he believes the indictment will help Trump’s presidential bid because “what the DA has done is put more of a focus on Donald Trump and his message, more than ever before.”

In contrast to Trump’s supporters, protestors on the other side of the barricade were skeptical of the charges. Community activist David Galarza Santa held up a roll of paper towels as a reminder of the day Trump visited Puerto Rico and hurled rolls of paper towels at survivors of Hurricane Maria. The former President also once described the hurricane as not being a “real catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina,” which struck the US south in 2005.

Trump’s charges allege tax fraud as well as falsely inflating and deflating properties’ values to obtain bank loans and reduce his taxation burden, among other factors. This is an ongoing development in a long line of legal action taken against Trump since his presidency ended. As of now, Donald Trump has not made a statement since the beginning of the trial, nor have his lawyers made any formal statement. It is unknown when the trial will conclude.



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