A Donald Trump supporter has been arrested for pulling a knife on a woman with small children outside Manhattan Criminal Court – where the former president could soon appear to face charges.
Angelica Rucker, 39, was holding a sign that read “I’m With Trump Are You?” outside the courthouse at around 3.30pm on Monday afternoon when she got into an argument with two passers-by, a spokesperson for New York Courts told The Independent.
One of the passers-by was with two small children at the time – one of them in a stroller.
As the verbal argument continued, Ms Rucker allegedly pulled a knife from her right side belt hip area and “began menacing” one of the individuals with the knife, the spokesperson said.
At that point, court officers – who had converged on the area to investigate the commotion – drew their firearms and ordered the 39-year-old to drop the knife.
The spokesperson said that Ms Rucker complied with the officers’ orders and dropped it.
She was taken into custody.
Charges against Ms Rucker are pending, the court spokesperson said.
The incident comes as New York City continues to brace for Mr Trump’s potential indictment on criminal charges over hush money payments to Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election.
A handful of Mr Trump’s supporters have been gathering outside Manhattan Criminal Court in response to his call to “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK” as the investigation ramps up.
Barricades have been erected round the Manhattan Criminal Court where Mr Trump could appear to face charges and local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have been meeting to prepare security plans.
Manhattan prosecutors have been investigating whether Mr Trump falsified the Trump Organization’s business records when his former lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen made a payment of $130,0000 to Ms Daniels.
Prosecutors claim that the money was used to silence Ms Daniels about an alleged affair she had with Mr Trump.
Mr Trump has long denied having an affair with the adult film star.
Cohen was convicted of tax evasion, lying to Congress and campaign finance violations related to the payments to Ms Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Both Cohen and Ms Daniels have given testimony before the grand jury in recent weeks and Mr Trump was also invited to testify.
While it was a request he unsurprisingly turned down, it was a clear sign that the probe had ramped up and gave the strongest possible indication that he will be indicted.
The former president claimed he was going to be arrested 21 March in the case and called on his supporters to protest.
But that day – and the entire week – came and went with no indictment.
The grand jury is not expected to hear the case for the rest of the week, now pushing back any potential indictment into next week.
If Mr Trump is indicted, it will mark the first time in US history where a former or current US president has ever been indicted on criminal charges.
