MIDTOWN — Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Intrepid Air & Space Museum Thursday evening to protest Donald Trump's first visit back to the city as president — but none of the hullabaloo resulted in any arrests, the NYPD said.
Protesters banged on pots and chanted "lock him up!" ahead of Trump’s visit to meet with the Australian prime minister and mark the 75th anniversary of the four-day Battle of Coral Sea in the Pacific, which started May 4, 1942.
"Lock him up!" anti-Trump protesters across from the Intrepid Museum chant pic.twitter.com/2JIb5Kn0nR
— Maya Rajamani (@mayarajamani) May 4, 2017
Many of the cars and trucks driving past on the West Side Highway honked in solidarity, drawing cheers from the crowds.
"We wish he would stay in Florida, stay at the mansion in Florida, leave us alone," said Norbert Sinski, 74.
The protests came just hours after the House voted to gut the Affordable Care Act, the signature healthcare legislation of Trump's predecessor.
Mark Robinson, 53, said he was angered by passage of the bill.
"It's absolutely appalling — they haven't even read the actual bill, but they're taking away health care from millions of people," said Robinson, who is a member of Hell's Kitchen Democrats.
NYPD officials estimated that protecting the president while he's in town would cost the city about $300,000 a day.
Congress approved a budget deal this week that would allow cities to apply to get reimbursed for the security costs.
