Trump calls for his supporters to protest as trial begins in N.Y.

Former President Donald Trump called on his supporters to “peacefully protest” and show their support of the Make America Great Again movement as he spends another day in a Manhattan courtroom for his criminal hush-money trial.

In a Truth Social post before he headed to the courthouse Monday, Mr. Trump cited pro-Palestinian protestors and questioned why they are “allowed to roam the Cities, scream, shout, sit, block traffic, enter buildings, not get permits, and basically do whatever they want including threatening Supreme Court Justices right in front of their homes.”

“Yet people who truly LOVE our Country and want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, are not allowed to ‘Peacefully Protest,’ and are rudely and systematically shut down and ushered off to far away ‘holding areas,’ essentially denying their Constitutional Rights,” he said.

He said “America Loving Protestors” should be allowed to protest in front of “Courthouses, all over the Country.”

“Free Speech and Assembly has been ‘CHILLED” for USA SUPPORTERS,” he said. “GO OUT AND PEACEFULLY PROTEST. RALLY BEHIND MAGA. SAVE OUR COUNTRY!”

Opening statements started Monday for Mr. Trump’s trial on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush-money payments that his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. His lawyers have said the payments to Mr. Cohen were actual legal expenses and not part of a cover-up.

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The jury of seven men and five women, along with six alternates, will hear opening arguments before the state calls the first witness. This is the first of four criminal trials the former president faces.

Mr. Trump has railed against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who brought the case, and Judge Juan Merchan. He says the case against him is “election interference” and has denied all charges.