Protesters descend on Trump Tower as president returns home

Protesters took to the streets outside of Trump Tower on Monday as President Trump returned to New York City.

He is spending his first night at Trump Tower since becoming president.

The protests come as the nation reels from a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend that left one counter-protester dead and 19 injured. 

Video uploaded by an editor for Snapchat shows demonstrators chanting, “New York hates you” outside of the Fifth Avenue skyscraper the president called home prior to his inauguration. 

Protesters outside Trump Tower are welcoming Trump home with a “New York Hates You” chant pic.twitter.com/3jJMznEp9K

— Kayla Epstein (@KaylaEpstein) August 14, 2017

Just before 6:30 p.m. on Monday, the president wrote on Twitter that he was departing for New York City, where he said he would hold meetings on defense and trade.

Leaving for New York City and meetings on military purchases and trade.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2017

Protesters chant “No Trump, No KKK” outside Trump Tower in New York City, where the president is expected tonight. https://t.co/bnnHk4cOUb pic.twitter.com/wUueSKTw1T

— ABC News (@ABC) August 14, 2017

Other chants from protesters waiting for Trump included “this is what democracy looks like,” according to a reporter from the German news service Tagesschau.

“This is what democracy looks like!” Protests in front of Trump tower. #trumpinNYC pic.twitter.com/uM5z02EFsb

— Demian von Osten (@demianvonosten) August 14, 2017

In Charlottesville on Saturday, a suspect drove a car into a crowd of peaceful counter-protesters, killing a young woman and injuring others. A 20-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder, failure to stop in an accident that resulted in death, and malicious wounding.

Trump came under scrutiny for his response to the Charlottesville attack, which he initially blamed on violence from “many sides.”

The president in a Monday statement sought to clean up the controversy, specifically condemning the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis who participated in the rally, after lawmakers slammed him for not providing a stronger response.

Heavy Heavy NYPD presence outside of Trump Tower amid protests pic.twitter.com/s2EfX5RCUy

— Laura Figueroa (@Laura_Figueroa) August 14, 2017

Protesters refuse to leave area in front of Trump tower. Some are sitting. Police asks them to leave. #trump #protests pic.twitter.com/XbOvqxLLTt

— Demian von Osten (@demianvonosten) August 14, 2017

Protesters display a giant inflatable rat in the likeness of President Trump ahead of his arrival at Trump Tower in New York City pic.twitter.com/farMQL48kk

— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 14, 2017