Donald Trump is set to become the first former US president arraigned in criminal court on Tuesday in Manhattan, and protesters who both like and loath Mr Trump have applied their creative talents to making and holding signs outside the courtroom.
One such sign invites passersby to urinate on a small photograph of Mr Trump sticking out of the ground in a path of dirt outside the courthouse.
Another sign with homophobic undertones requested that Mr Trump be placed in the “same cell as Stewart Rhodes, so that they can enjoy a night of hot eye-socket lovin’!” Mr Rhodes, the founder of the far-right militia the Oath Keepers, was convincted of charges of seditious conspiracy and evidence tampering related to his participation in the Jan 6 Capitol riot last year. He is currently awaiting sentencing.
Mr Trump also has his defenders outside the courtroom, though early reports have concluded that there are far more media members than Trump-aligned protesters on site in Manhattan.
“My pronouns are Not/Guilty,” one sign held up by a pro-Trump demonstrator read on Tuesday morning. Other signs in support of Mr Trump and his far-right political movement argued that Covid-19 is a hoax and demanded that the country “Count only LEGAL votes.”
Still, other protesters held signs showing their support for Stormy Daniels, the adult film actor whose 2006 affair with Mr Trump eventually led to the hush-money payment that has resulted in the former president’s indictment.
“Once again Trump got caught with his pants down,” a sign reads.
A few of the politicians in New York for the indictment have also attracted the attention of the protesting crowd. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, an outspoken defender of Mr Trump, was greeted on her trip north with a sign mocking her as a dangerous escaped animal.
Another controversial Republican congressman, Rep George Santos of New York, also appeared outside the courthouse on Tuesday morning.
