NYC preparing for possible protests if former President Donald Trump indicted
LOWER MANHATTAN (WABC) -- New York City officials are preparing for the possibility of protests Tuesday after former President Donald Trump indicated that he could be indicted this week.
Over the weekend, Trump said on Truth Social he expected to face criminal charges and urged supporters to protest his possible arrest. In a series of social media posts through the weekend, the former Republican president criticized the New York investigation, directing particularly hostile rhetoric toward Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.
In Trump's social media call for "protest," some heard an echo of January 6 but the intelligence assessment, obtained by ABC News, said this time members of Congress are unlikely targets.
Rather, "it is likely any protests or violence will be directed at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, the Department of Justice, or the FBI," the assessment said.
"We are monitoring comments on social media, the NYPD is doing their normal role of making sure that there are no inappropriate actions in the city," Mayor Eric Adams said.
The assessment noted social media calls for everything from armed demonstrations and possible violence to roadblocks and a trucker boycott of New York City.
"It may not happen, but the probability is it will happen and we wouldn't be going through these machinations if they weren't," said former NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce.
Eyewitness News has learned there were two tactical meetings over the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, to outline a response to any possible protests.
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Any mobilization would include: Borough Command, the Strategic Response Group, Emergency Service Unit, ESU K-9, Aviation and Intel.
And the FBI issued an email alert saying "at the present time there is no information to confirm this indictment nor is there any information to indicate violence or criminal activity is planned."
However, all enforcement agents around the country are remaining vigilant after January 6th.
"I don't believe that we'll see anything like January 6, hopefully never again in our country," Boyce said.
Protesters already started gathering Monday in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, and in front of the criminal courthouse in Lower Manhattan, there are now barricades and additional surveillance cameras.
"The NYPD does this all the time, the hardest job is keeping the pro-Trump people and the anti-Trump people apart," Boyce said.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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