MIDTOWN — At least 31 anti-Donald Trump protesters were arrested at a New York Republican Party black-tie event before the GOP front-runner evoked 9/11 and New York values in a speech Thursday night.
One group of protesters holding a banner were arrested on the mezzanine level and led out of the Grand Hyatt Hotel at 109 E. 42nd St. between Park and Lexington avenues just after 6 p.m.
Protestors getting arrested after trying to disrupt Trump event at Grand Hyatt @DNAinfo pic.twitter.com/Z14xu5qZ77
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) April 14, 2016
Police officers ordered demonstrators to put their hands behind their backs while they chanted, "NYC is the bomb. We're ready. We're coming."
Police officers were also seen loading at least five or six protesters into a van waiting outside the hotel, although the NYPD could not confirm whether these were the same demonstrators arrested inside.
More #AntiTrump protestors arrested outside Grand Hyatt - an eyewitness saw 5 or 6 loaded into this van: pic.twitter.com/sQdJ2SAQ3W
— Kathleen Culliton (@K_Culliton) April 14, 2016
The NYPD also could not immediately confirm the number of protesters arrested.
The protesters were part of an organized anti-Trump demonstration Thursday night at the hotel, which hosted the GOP gala featuring Republican candidates Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich.
Trump makes his entrance at Republican gala. @DNAinfo pic.twitter.com/hmzrF9tF1T
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) April 15, 2016
Trump got the biggest cheer of the night and a standing ovation when he took the stage. He used his time behind the podium to talk about his numerous building developments in the city, and spoke of his "New York values" by evoking 9/11.
“The people in the towers who helped rescue each other, those are ... New York Values," he said. "The restaurant and local business who kept their shops open to help everybody during this incredible time, those are New York values.”
"I want to talk about NY values," Trump says. "Everybody comes to NY."
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) April 15, 2016
"Honesty and straight talk," Trump says are two big NY values.
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) April 15, 2016
"I will admit to you I haven't built any buildings in New York," Cruz said, "But I have spent my entire life defending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights."
He went on to promise that he would bring jobs to Americans.
Kasich enjoyed a moment of levity during the gala. "I think I've eaten every bit of food there is," he said, a reference to his April 7 campaign stop at Mike's Deli in The Bronx where he tucked into an impressive amount of Italian food.
The Ohio governor also apologized for a campaign gaff in Howard Beach when he picked up a knife and fork to start eating a slice of pizza before abandoning the utensils and using his hands.
But it was Trump who hundreds of New Yorkers gathered outside the hotel continued to protest as the dinner went on.
Protesters came pouring out of GCT to rally and chant pic.twitter.com/ApAvIZKpko
— Kathleen Culliton (@K_Culliton) April 15, 2016
"He wants to put up walls and we want to build bridges," said Para Barakos, who held up a sign that read "The People United Against Hate Bigotry and Injustice."
Michelle Sencilon, 19, said that she was afraid to be arrested but, "the issues we're protesting are more important."
A small group of Trump supporters tried to counteract the demonstrators' message, holding signs and said "Who's gonna pay for the wall? Mexico!"
The anti-Trump group was joined by workers from a #Fightfor15 minimum wage rally held in Times Square earlier Thursday afternoon who marched across town chanting, "We got to fight back, fight back, fight back."
The @fightfor15 protesters approach the Grand Hyatt chanting, "We got to fight back, fight back, fight back." pic.twitter.com/v7CxOFuf1T
— Kathleen Culliton (@K_Culliton) April 14, 2016
Fast-food, retail, home, child care and Verizon workers — who went on strike Wednesday at 6 a.m. after their unions failed to reach a labor agreement with the telecom company — were joined by Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the Times Square rally.
"Our way is to raise the minimum wage," Cuomo said.
Cuomo and state lawmakers recently agreed to increase the minimum wage in New York to $15.
He also spoke about the election, which he called "a turning point in this nation's history," and accused the right wing of wanting to raise suspicions about a diverse population.
.@NYGovCuomo says the right wants to use anger to raise suspicions about people who are different: "you can't do that in New York."
— Kathleen Culliton (@K_Culliton) April 14, 2016
"The environment here makes you feel change can happen," protester Xiomara Caro said.
