New York police officers on Friday made four arrests after supporters of former President Donald Trump clashed with counter-protesters in the borough of Manhattan.
Trump supporters marched on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower carrying “Trump 2024” banners in an event billed as the “Trump Save America Flag Unfurling.”
Video footage showed over 100 supporters turning out for the event.
One participant told Right Side Broadcasting Network that the event was a rally for Trump. “Trump 2024 baby! Yeah!” he said.
The event was protested by another group, who the network alleged were linked to the far-left Antifa and Black Lives Matter.
The counter-protesters grabbed a huge banner Trump supporters were carrying and a struggle ensued, according to video footage captured by independent reporter Ford Fischer.
NYPD officers arrested two of the counter-protesters, one of whom claimed a Trump supporter used a racial slur.
The NYPD said later in the day that officers were “attempting to prevent a clash between anti-police protesters and pro-Trump protesters.”
Four arrests were made for various crimes, including assaults on police officers and weapons possession. Violent actions will not be tolerated from those who claim to be “peaceful protestors”. pic.twitter.com/kke0GzpwAw
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 5, 2021
While doing so, “multiple officers were faced with violent actions resulting with one officer currently being treated at a hospital for suspected bleach being thrown in his eyes,” the department added.
Four arrests were made for various crimes, including assaults on police officers and weapons possession.
“Violent actions will not be tolerated from those who claim to be ‘peaceful protesters,'” police said in a statement.
Officials declined to answer on Saturday when The Epoch Times asked if any of those arrested were confirmed to be with a certain group.
Following the arrests, counter-protesters continued confronting supporters, including one who told a woman to “fight me.”
“Frankly, sometimes I cover two-sided events where arguing etc. leads to some finding of common ground. Other than a few shared moments collectively ripping on Governor Cuomo, today was a lot of fighting words and not a lot of common ground,” Fischer said in a tweet.
Trump has said he is mulling another run for president after a win in 2016 and a loss last year.
“Democrats should suffer withering losses in the midterms and to lose the White House decisively four years from now… I may decide to beat them for a third time,” Trump told a crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 28, referring to his claim that he actually won the 2020 election.
In an interview that day, he said he can’t imagine that someone else would win if he does run again.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
