Trump Tower residents are sick of protestors; problem unlikely to improve
Photo via Kristal T/Flickr
Since Donald Trump announced his run for office, Trump Tower, where the President-elect both lives and keeps his political headquarters, has been a hotspot for protestors. While in the past few months, inconveniences haven’t escalated far beyond anti-Trumpers stopping by to give the building the finger, after the 2016 election results were announced, it’s become veritable zoo outside the 5th Avenue tower as thousands have convened to denounce (and to be sure, support) a Trump presidency. The situation has become a major disruption for residents of the luxury skyscraper who are now annoyed with the crowds. As The Post so fittingly writes, “It’s not so easy being a member of the 1 percent if you live at Trump Tower.”
As we wrote yesterday, the NYPD and Secret Service have set up concrete barriers around the perimeter of the building to fortify it against unwanted attacks like “vehicles from ramming into the location and blowing it up with explosives.”
One broker told the Post that increased security has also meant that residents must be frisked before entering the building, in addition to showing ID. “These are wealthy people. They don’t need this, and they can’t take it any longer,” the broker told the paper. “They no longer want to stay there. Some of them are already planning on moving out, and they’ll decide later whether or not they want to sell.”
But the problem has extended beyond the tower. In addition to the Gucci store in Trump Tower being totally devoid of customers, neighboring Tiffany’s and all local 5th Avenue retailers are too completely deserted.
The issue is unlikely to get better any time soon. Yesterday, Crain’s wrote that locals should prepare for four years gridlock and lockdowns. And even more chaos when Trump returns home from Washington D.C.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Stephen Davis and his team have, however, acknowledged the challenges of providing a stretch of security in bustling Manhattan. “The Secret Service and NYPD will have to design other ways to protect them [Trump buildings] from attack while retaining acceptable traffic flow,” Davis told Crain’s. But he also said that “there’s no getting around it. It could be a major inconvenience.” Particularly when holiday traffic is factored in.
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He doesn’t care how disruptive his need to spend weekends in his golden palace is to residents, visitors, business owners and the police. The loss of income because shops are cut off from shoppers, the cost to the NY police force, the constant uphevel in the neighborhood will ultimately be billed to us, the American taxpayer. Just to keep Trump safe and indulge his whim.
He wanted to be president? He got it. Let him live in his hotel on Pennsylvannia Ave. if the White House, the people’s house isn’t good enough for him.
Boo hoo. Rich people have it so tough…..