Thousands of New Yorkers have gathered for a fourth consecutive day of anti-Donald Trump protests. For the second time this week, protesters have marched to Trump Tower from Union Square.
The Trump Is Not My President march kicked off today at noon in Union Square Park, and although protesters were expected to begin marching uptown towards Trump Tower around 2 p.m., they began to mobilize early, leaving Union Square around 12:30 p.m.
NYC #NotMyPresident demo headed up 5th Avenue, penned in by scooter cops. pic.twitter.com/uj3B1YKJeF
— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) November 12, 2016
Although some protesters have already reached Trump Tower—or at least, have gotten as close as police will allow—more are marching up Fifth Avenue. During the initial march uptown, police on scooters surrounded protesters on both sides. According to one attendee, one brief stretch of the protest had been reduced to "pretty much a parade" by police keeping protesters in one lane. Other photos from the march show protesters having taken entire swaths of the street.
Cop just pushed a girl for standing in front of a cop scooter. When someone yelled back at cop, others chanted "peaceful protest." 😑
— Ash J (@AshAgony) November 12, 2016
Few clashes between protesters and police have been reported, but one woman was allegedly pushed by an officer for standing in front of a police scooter.
The protest is largely peaceful, but has been crashed by at least one Trump supporter who is reportedly pretending to hump women in the crowd.
Trump supporter running around anti-Trump March pretending to hump women. Cops went after him.
— Rebecca Fishbein (@bfishbfish) November 12, 2016
Protestors leaving union square pic.twitter.com/amwn4A01mQ
— Sean Stout (@TERROREYEStv) November 12, 2016
There are a LOT of anti-Trump demonstrators marching up 5th Avenue to @TrumpTower, as seen from #theskyapartment pic.twitter.com/Sbf7TWW90m
— Cindy Gallop (@cindygallop) November 12, 2016
Chants include "He cant build the wall, his hands are too small!" and "Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump, go away." Protesters are handing out safety pins, some have adopted as a symbol of solidarity, for attendees to wear.
Protesters made it clear that they weren't just marching against a Trump presidency, but also against the system that facilitated his rise to power.
"We need to dismantle the whole system, and Hillary was not our saving grace," Michael Anzoni, 25, told Gothamist. "This is a call to action. Fuck white patriarchy."
Now in #NYC: We march against fascism. #NotMyPresident #DumpTrump pic.twitter.com/ojvush7gvS
— Doc Rocket (@DocR0cket) November 12, 2016
From #NYC #Protest against #Trump pic.twitter.com/yrxt9La0fO
— أمنية خليل (@OmniaKhalil) November 12, 2016
Police have set up barriers near Trump Tower to prevent protesters from reaching the front of the building, between 56th Street and 57th Street. A small group of protesters has begun to form at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, and police say this splinter group is growing.
NYPD has Trump Tower barricaded off for blocks, wont let NYC #NotMyPresident demo near it. pic.twitter.com/gEsxYrYj1h
— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) November 12, 2016
"He can't build the wall! His hands are too small!" NYC #NotMyPresident demo. pic.twitter.com/RpeGa5sy4Q
— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) November 12, 2016
According to the Telegraph, Nigel Farage is currently meeting with Trump at Trump Tower. Michael Moore was in the building earlier, requesting a meeting with Trump.
On Thursday, Trump said that the protesters had been “incited by the media” and suggested they may be paid professionals, echoing conspiracy theorist claims that George Soros was paying protesters to organize against him.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Fishbein