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Trump's arraignment in NYC has captivated a global audience: 'This is democracy in action'
By
David Brand
and
Charles Lane
Published Apr 4, 2023
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Gabriela Bhaskar for Gothamist
By
David Brand
and
Charles Lane
Published Apr 4, 2023
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Former President Donald Trump’s arraignment Tuesday isn’t just a fascinating moment in American history — the spectacle has drawn attention from around the world.
Among the hundreds of reporters and TV personalities gathered at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday morning were dozens of journalists dispatched from international outlets to cover the first-ever arraignment of a U.S. president.
Members of the press gather outside Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday.
Gabriela Bhaskar for Gothamist
“Trump is big news in the Middle East,” said veteran reporter Adla Massoud, a journalist from Lebanon who was covering the arraignment.
Massoud said readers throughout the region were fascinated by the notion that a president could actually be charged with a crime.
“No one is above the law, which we don’t have in the Middle East. No one is ever held to account,” she said. “This is democracy in action.”
On social media, Trump has warned of “death and destruction” in the wake of his criminal charges, but Massoud said she was prepared for any demonstrations, even if they turned violent.
“I’m used to it,” she said. “I’ve covered wars in the Middle East, so it’s fine.”
Several reporters from the U.K. have also posted up outside Manhattan Criminal Court and Trump Tower, using tape on the sidewalk to claim space for Sky TV, the BBC and other British news crews.
News outlets marked their places in line using tape.
Charles Lane for Gothamist
Will Pavia, the New York correspondent for the Times of London, said he joined a line of journalists waiting to enter the courthouse at 4 p.m. yesterday — about 22 hours before Trump is expected to appear for his arraignment.
Pavia said part of his job is translating the specific processes of the American justice system to readers abroad, while painting the historic scene inside the courtroom.
“They want to know what it looks like when a former president presumably pleads not guilty to these charges, whatever they are,” he said.
Nieves Zuberbühler, who reports for Todo Noticias Argentina and Canal 13 Chile, said her South American audience is simply captivated by the Trump circus.
“Trump the show, man, that’s what they’re looking for,” said Zuberbühler, as she paced the press area with a selfie stick to capture the frenzy.
Zuberbühler said the criminal charges hanging over Trump also have real-world consequences on international relations.
“But I think for now, it's their curiosity,” she said of what motivates viewers to tune in. “So now what’s going to happen next? It’s always something with Trump.”
To call Mr. Bragg an animal is Sturmer language. That is the same as it was done in Germany between 1933 and 1945.
Michael Wüllenweber, a reporter for the German TV network, Welt
Michael Wüllenweber, a reporter for the German TV network Welt, said the Trump arraignment is one of the lead stories back home, fueled by a mix of intrigue, political implications and schadenfreude.
“We have had scandals in Germany, too, but nothing like that,” Wüllenweber said of Trump’s numerous ongoing criminal investigations.
He said most Germans have had a hard time comprehending the intense political divisions in the U.S. and the ongoing threats to democracy, most notably the attack on the Capitol by far-right insurrectionists.
“It’s difficult to explain that, really, there was an insurrection,” he said. “The [German] people think American democracy is strong enough that something like that doesn’t take place in reality. So that is unbelievable.”
He said he is troubled by the divisions in the U.S., which he sees at political rallies and in partisan news coverage across the country. And he said he was “astonished” by Trump’s ongoing attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whom the former president has called “an animal” on social media. Wüllenweber likened the language to Nazi propaganda published by German tabloid Der Sturmer in the 1930s.
“How he is talking is completely repulsive,” Wüllenweber said. “To call Mr. Bragg an animal is Sturmer language. That is the same as it was done in Germany between 1933 and 1945.”
Wüllenweber stood along Fifth Avenue with his daughter Katharina, a prosecutor visiting from the German city of Cologne.
She said the politics of charging a former president with a crime wouldn’t factor into decision-making in Germany. If prosecutors find evidence of a crime, they are obligated to pursue the case, she said.
“There’s a rule of law, you have to indict him,” she said. “We wouldn’t talk about political implications.”
Michelle Bocanegra contributed reporting.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
Trump Indictment
Alvin Bragg
court appearance
David Brand
David is a reporter covering housing for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 908-310-3960.
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Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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