New York Mayor braces for violent protests as Trump is convicted - 'the NYPD stands ready!'
Mayor Adams reassured New Yorkers that "the NYPD stands ready to respond to any and all circumstances"
Reuters
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has vowed his city will not tolerate "lawlessness" and violent protests in the wake of former President Donald Trump's criminal conviction.
The 45th President - who continues to seek reelection this November - was found guilty yesterday of falsifying 34 business records to cover up a hush-money payment to former adult film star Stormy Daniels.
But in the wake of the conviction - a first for a US President - the apparent threat of violence has prompted NYC's Mayor to speak out.
Mayor Adams said: "Today, a jury of 12 New Yorkers registered their verdict. Our criminal justice process must be respected.
Mayor Adams reassured New Yorkers that "the NYPD stands ready to respond to any and all circumstances"
Reuters
"As we await the next steps, New Yorkers should rest assured that the NYPD stands ready to respond to any and all circumstances, including large-scale protests.
"While peaceful protests and assembly will always be protected, we will not be a city of any form of lawlessness."
Trump's 34-felony conviction has prompted calls for riots, revolution and retribution by his supporters online.
Some called for attacks on jurors, the execution of the judge, Justice Juan Merchan, or outright civil war and armed insurrection.
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The 45th President - who continues to seek reelection this November - was found guilty yesterday
Reuters
One commentator on pro-Trump site Patriots.win said: "Someone in NY with nothing to lose needs to take care of Merchan... Hopefully he gets met with illegals with a machete."
And Trump himself joined in with the online rhetoric; on Truth Social, a social media site the former President part-owns, he called Merchan "HIGHLY CONFLICTED" and criticised his jury instructions as unfair.
One commentator responded by posting a picture of a hangman's gallows and a noose with the caption: "TREASONOUS MOBSTER OF THE JUSTICES SYSTEM!!"
Though an analysis into the social media posts by news agency Reuters found that most fell short of the legal standard for a prosecutable threat, which typically requires evidence that the comment reflects a clear intent to act or instill fear, rather than simply suggesting a frightening outcome.
Trump supporters turned out to protest the ruling yesterday
Reuters
Though Amy Cooter, a researcher who studies extremist militias, said the guilty verdict could inspire violence by reinforcing a conviction among some of Trump's supporters that he's a victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by his enemies.
Cooter, from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies' Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism said: "I do think a lot of these folks have been looking for an excuse to maybe mobilize for a while.
"I hope I'm wrong. I've said for a long time, though, that I would not be shocked to see violence result from a guilty verdict, either directed toward the jurors" or others connected to the case.
Trump's sentencing will take placeon July, 11 at 10am local time (3pm BST).
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