New York Primary: Anti-establishment protesters greet GOP hopefuls
Wide array of leftist causes and organizations descended upon Midtown Manhattan to call out Donald Trump, the Republican establishment and the political system at large.
The streets of midtown Manhattan erupted Thursday evening as thousands of anti-Trump and anti-establishment protesters rallied across the street from the Grand Hyatt Hotel, where all three Republican presidential hopefuls were present for a black-tie GOP fundraiser.
The raucous crowd chanting "Dump Trump!" and "No Trump, no Cruz, no Sanders, but a workers party!," represented a wide array of leftist organizations and causes.
Many carried signs decrying white-supremacy, police violence and American imperialism.
"Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich are sitting up there dining while homeless New Yorkers starve on the streets," said Brian Matarrese, a Vietnam War veteran. "Why are we funding unnecessary wars when we have so many problems at home," he said
The rally, which took up three city blocks along Manhattan's Park Avenue was punctuated by occasional scuffles, but remained largely peaceful as night descended.
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"New York is a city of bridges, not walls," said Jennifer Flynn Walker, a civic activist who lives in Brooklyn who attended the rally with her children. "It's important for everyone who doesn't share Trump's vision to show up here."
Across the street from the rally, a small group of Trump supporters stood in a circle as protesters engaged them in heated political debates.
"Trump has never served a day in his life," said a man donning an Afghanistan War veteran's cap. "The man is a poseur and he is using us."
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"I've been told by my union that the candidate I support is a bigot and a racist," said a unionized man in his 20s who didn't identify himself for fear of reprisal. The man pointed to political turmoil in Europe as something Trump could help the United States avoid.
Yet Republican sympathizers were few and far between.
A man approaching the protests on his bicycle grimaced. "What's this all for?" When informed of the rally's message, his expression flipped. "Well now that's something I can get behind!" he said, parking his bike and wading into the crowds.
"I've never seen an election season like this one in my life, it's absolute chaos," he said "How are people fighting this much? How are they so angry at each other? I just don't get it."