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"What The Hell?": New Yorkers Protest Trump Impeachment Acquittal
By
Gwynne Hogan
Published Feb 6, 2020
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Chris Jones / Gothamist
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By
Gwynne Hogan
Published Feb 6, 2020
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As President Donald Trump was acquitted on both articles of impeachment by the Senate on Wednesday, hundreds of demonstrators converged on Columbus Circle to denounce what they saw as a “sham trial,” marching from there to Trump Tower to express their outrage.
In an unsurprising vote that split almost entirely along party lines, the Senate cleared Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Manhattan protest was one of hundreds planned nationwide in response to Trump’s acquittal.
“What the hell? Why are we just walking around like nothing is going on,” said Alfredo Merat, 59, from Harlem. “The country is going towards a direction that's just very dangerous and I don't think people know that or realize that.”
Eight members of the protest group Rise and Resist were arrested shortly after demonstrators began marching from Columbus Circle south towards West 57th Street, according to organizers and police.
Protesters condemned the lack of witnesses in the Senate’s trial, calling it a cover-up.
“I’m in mourning. I went into mourning the day they voted on no witnesses or documents and I haven’t been able to really shake it since,” said activist Karen Flaherty, 71, who was dressed in all black, with her face draped with a black lace veil. She held a sign that read R.I.P. American Democracy. “Today was sort of the ultimate nail in the coffin.”
A small group of Trump supporters clashed briefly with the the anti-Trump demonstrators at the start of the march. Taunts of ‘Asshole,” “He’s your president, bitch,’ and “hillbilly” were snarled back and forth across a police barrier.
One of the Trump supporters present was 60-year-old Karen Braun, a retired teacher from Manhattan.
“What he did was not impeachable,” Braun said. “I’m for law and order...I don't care if he is a Republican or a Democrat. If you do something that violates your office than remove him or her from office.”
But she said she didn’t think Democrats had “proved beyond a reasonable doubt,” Trump’s guilt, though she didn’t think hearing from more witnesses would have helped their case.
Juliet Germanotta, a 38-year-old counter-protester and former Wisconsin congressional Democratic primary candidate, was seen waving a rainbow “LGBT for Trump” flag.
“It might have been criminal, but not impeachable,” said Germanotta, adding she predicted political backlash for Democrats come November. “In 2018 we were saying ‘blue wave, blue wave.' I think in 2020 we’re gonna have a ‘red tsunami.’”
Some passersby cursed the crowd for monopolizing the sidewalk as they stomped south on Fifth Avenue, passing Trump Tower then continuing towards Bryant Park.
Others stopped to watch the marchers, take videos and sometimes chant along with them, like 77-year-old Gloria Shepherd from the Parkchester section of the Bronx, who was running errands in Midtown when protesters passed her by.
“Now Trump will think he can do anything,” she said, “And any President from now on will think he can do anything.”
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Gwynne Hogan
Gwynne Hogan is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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