Protesters flock to Trump Tower after Charlottesville violence
Hundreds of protesters flocked to Trump Tower on Sunday to decry what they called the president’s woefully inadequate response to the violent rallies in Charlottesville over the weekend.
Hoards of sign-carrying protesters marched up Fifth Avenue — clogging traffic as they waived signs that read “The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go” while screaming “If we don’t get no justice, they don’t get no peace!”
The rally came a day after Trump tweeted, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides. It’s been going on for a long time in our country.”
At least three people were arrested for disorderly conduct, according to police sources.
His tweet was in response to white-supremacist riots in Virginia over the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which sparked counter-protests and the fatal mow-down of Heather Heyer by accused neo-Nazi James Fields Jr., 20.
“What happened [in Charlottesville] is awful, and we must make it known that it isn’t welcomed anymore,” said Trump Tower protester Lilly Tobia, 19. “Our voices will be heard.”
Another city marcher, Jennifer Liu, 22, screamed, “I’m tired of Trump and how he supports these white supremists!
“We won’t stop protesting until he’s gone, and he won’t be welcome back here!”
The shrieking and sign-waiving dissidents were cloistered across the street from the president’s namesake building and kept behind police barriers.
Trump was originally slotted to return to Manhattan from his golf-club in Bedminster, NJ, on Sunday.
But Mayor de Blasio said Sunday that Trump would instead be arriving Monday. It was not clear why.
Additional reporting by Larry Celona