The police presence at Trump Tower on 5th Avenue will be scaled down once President Donald Trump leaves office Wednesday, according to a New York Police Department official. Blocked streets, heavy traffic, heavy police presence, big deterrents to shoppers, and big deterrents to commerce, East Midtown Partnership President Rob Byrnes said.
Now that Trump is no longer president, the security bubble will begin to deflate, but East 56th Street will remain shutdown as law enforcement assess potential threats.
Business owners, struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic, hope the security eases quickly so they can try to capture more customers. Anything we can do to bring more people in and make people more comfortable while they re shopping is extremely important, Byrnes said.