Dueling protests take place outside federal court for Maduro's arraignment in Lower Manhattan
LOWER MANHATTAN (WABC) -- Dueling groups of protesters took up a small footprint across the street from the courthouse where Nicolas Maduro appeared Monday.
The NYPD separated the two groups, one holding signs that urge President Donald Trump to "Free President Maduro," and the other supportive of the U.S. capture.
Protesters against "illegal kidnapping" planned their demonstration to coincide with the court appearance.
Venezuelan nationals in support of Maduro's capture also rallied on Monday.
Officers used bicycle rack-style metal barricades to separate the two groups.
"No War For Venezuelan Oil," "No To Criminal Trump Invasion" and "No Blood For Oil" were among the signs. One man among a small group of about a dozen pro-intervention individuals pulled a Venezuelan flag away from those protesting the U.S. action.
For the dozens of protesters who converged outside the federal courthouse, it was personal and became a shouting match.
Maduro's arrest has been polarizing and many emotions are in the gray area.
"Happiness, sadness, all of them together at the same time," said Venezuelan Martin Briceno.
The whole thing has been like a powder keg.
"I do support Maduro, I support someone who is able to speak to causes that resonate, who is able to advocate for the needs of his people and who will stand ten toes down with him," said a supporter named Kylian.
"They want him free for what? For killing people. For killing students, for killing families, separating people for our country? No. That's unacceptable," Briceno said.
A Venezuelan family who own a restaurant in Jackson Heights came to America seeking freedom from Maduro. They celebrated the historic military strike.
"I know my family definitely cried. I've seen a lot of people cry. Me personally, I was just too overwhelmed with joy to cry," Venezuelan-American Chris Gonzalez said.
Never did Venezuelans here imagine their oppressor would follow them to New York City in handcuffs.
The once powerful and feared head of Venezuela told the judge on Monday that he is a decent and innocent man.
"If you were a decent man, you wouldn't have killed political opponents. You wouldn't have slaughtered your own people. You wouldn't have taken our own oil money. Just try to go to yourself," Gonzalez said.
"Everybody knows what he did. He is not innocent. He is guilty," Venezuelan Immigrant Kathy Parva said.
While Venezuelans around the world celebrate the end of their nightmare, they are troubled by demonstrators who want Maduro reinstated.
"To see people defending Maduro, to me it seems so strange because it's just like, why are you defending a dictator that I've seen slaughter my people for just simply speaking out against him and it's mind boggling," Gonzalez said.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are among six defendants named in a four-count superseding indictment that accused them of conspiring with violent, dangerous drug traffickers for the last 25 years. Maduro has long denied all the allegations.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during Monday's arraignment.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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