Dozens of protesters railing against President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico were arrested outside the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City Friday evening.
Several videos from the protests showed some of the arrested activists with their hands tied behind their backs being escorted into police vans after protesters blocked traffic in the middle of a busy street outside the hotel.
The protesters held signs with the words “Rise and Resist” and “No Wall, No Way,” wearing yellow “Abolish ICE” vests while chanting, “This emergency is fake!” and “Shame!” according to the video.
New York Police Department (NYPD) officers stood nearby, warning the activists that they were “unlawfully in the roadway” blocking traffic.
The NYPD did not immediately release the exact number of protesters arrested Friday evening, but it is likely those arrested will be cited for disorderly conduct and blocking traffic, the Associated Press reported.
The protests came after Trump declared a national emergency Friday, allowing the administration to tap a total of “approximately $8 million” in funding to address the border situation.
Trump signed legislation from Congress agreeing to $1.375 billion in wall funding instead of the $5.7 billion he initially sought to avert a second partial government shutdown, prompting him to declare a national emergency to access funds that would make up the difference.
Breitbart News reported that the emergency declaration would allow the administration to access an estimated “$1.375 billion in appropriations included in the congressional funding bill, $600 million from the Treasury forfeiture fund, $2.5 billion from Title 10 section 264 counter drug activities, and $3.6 billion from military section 2808 military construction funds.”