Trump Tower was shut down to visitors Wednesday afternoon after a protester spray-painted the letters “U.S.A.” over a seal bearing the name of President Donald Trump.
A protester from the Extinction Rebellion strode into Trump Tower on 5th Avenue just after noon on April 23 and spray-painted the letters in green over the circular 45 sign in the lobby filled with tourists. The perpetrator then crouched and held a cloth sign reading “game over.”
It was Extinction Rebellion’s latest action tied to Earth Day. Tuesday, organization members vandalized a Tesla dealership to protest Trump adviser Elon Musk. They later interrupted a New York City Ballet performance to voice a plea over climate change.
Members of the Secret Service at Trump Tower on Wednesday immediately detained the protester and slapped him in cuffs.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of an incident involving a person spray painting graffiti inside the public lobby of Trump Tower in New York City,” said James Byrne, a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson. “There are no disruptions to protective operations. We thank the NYPD for their immediate response and unwavering partnership.”
Not everyone was a fan of the stunt. “I hope they take you downstairs and beat your a**,” one person said as he was whisked away.
Fellow protesters tried to scrub the graffiti away but were stopped by security, who announced that the building would be shut down. NYPD cops and tower workers ushered tourists out of the building before locking it down.
“I was standing in line to take a picture, it’s ridiculous,” Jeff from Missouri told amNewYork. “There is a lot of division in this country, a lot of whining — it is what it is.”
Meanwhile the arrested protester released a statement, revealing that removable chalk was used in the vandalism, and performed the act because he is an “American.”
“I did this because I am an American. It is my duty to stand up for my country, and my Earth, when a government becomes destructive of our right to Life,” the protestor said. “Donald Trump and the regime of private interests he works for-who donate equally to each party—are destructive of your inalienable right to Life. All American political parties are equally complicit in inaction which has brought us to this point. Switching to blue is not the solution. Kamala Harris’ climate platform was fracked gas, much deadlier than regular. Decades of inaction have brought about the current climate catastrophe.”
