Trump Tower Protests: New Yorkers Hold Anti-Trump Rallies For Second Consecutive Night

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — One night after thousands of angry New Yorkers welcomed President Donald Trump back to his gilded penthouse, protesters have returned to Fifth Avenue to rally against the president outside of Trump Tower.

Police once again set up barriers along Fifth Avenue as protesters occupied the sidewalks surrounding Trump Tower — which is located between East 56th and 57th streets — according to reporters at the protest.

A large police presence was also stationed at Columbus Cirlce, near Trump International Hotel and Tower, according to a reporter on the scene.

Trump walked back a condemnation of white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups during a Tuesday afternoon press conference at Trump Tower when he unleashed a tirade against the media and "alt-left" protesters who gathered in Charlottesville over the weekend. Trump reiterated statements that he made during the weekend's deadly Charlottesville rallies that people on "both sides" were to blame for violence.

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Trump, taking questions from reporters following brief remarks on infrastructure, also suggested that removing statues of a Confederate statue might be a slippery slope to taking down memorials for slave-holders, such as Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded to Trump's press conference on Twitter.

"President Donald Trump, standing in a city built by people of every race, creed and faith, just defended white supremacists," de Blasio posted.

A woman was arrested Tuesday afternoon after unfurling a banner reading "Women resist white supremacy" in the Trump Tower atrium, Mic reporter Jack Smith reported.

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