NYC Stands With Manhattan DA, 'Son Of Harlem' Alvin Bragg: Protesters

HARLEM, NY — Uptowners rallied Monday around Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has faced death threats and online attacks as he investigates hush money payments possibly tied to former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat hosted a rally outside of the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building on 125th Street to decry "Republican-backed racist and hate-based rhetoric targeting D.A. Bragg and his family."

"New York City stands in solidarity with Alvin Bragg, a son of Harlem," Espaillat said. "And we will not be intimidated by Republican tactics, threats, racist and hate-based rhetoric."

Bragg is currently investigating hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who says she received $130,000 not to disclose their former sexual relationship before Trump's election.

Trump has denied the payment and the relationship, but a possible indictment looms with this week's reconvening of a Manhattan grand jury.

The showing of uptown support Monday was immense with more than dozen representatives from City Council, New York state Senate and Assembly making an appearance.

The group condemned Trump for social media posts that warned a criminal indictment would cause possible "death and destruction" and included images of the former president holding a baseball bat next to picture of Bragg.

Hours later, a letter addressed to Bragg with white powder and an assassination threat inside it was found in the district attorney's mail room. The powder was later found to be non-hazardous, according to reports.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine compared Trump's tactics to those that preceded a historic day in this nation's history.

“We are deeply troubled by the threats being directed at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg," Levine said.

"Mr. Trump’s call for protests to ‘take our country back’ in the wake of his possible arrest is reminiscent of his statements prior to the January 6 insurrection."

Iesha Sekou, founder of the Harlem nonprofit Street Corner Resources, raised concerns over another since-deleted post, in which Trump referred to Bragg, New York's first Black district attorney, and as an "animal."

"They need to stop it, because we know what it is," Sekou said.

"Trump knows this is racism, making Black people wrong for doing the right thing."