A climate activist vandalized a presidential placard inside Trump Tower in New York City Wednesday, prompting a swift response from the Secret Service.
The incident occurred just after noon in the public lobby of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, a busy area filled with tourists.
The activist, associated with Extinction Rebellion, spray-painted the letters “U.S.A.” over a seal bearing the name of President Donald J. Trump.
Video footage captured the activist shouting, “This is our country! This is our planet!” as he was led away in handcuffs by Secret Service agents, according to amNY.
The placard, marked with “45” to signify Trump as the 45th president, was defaced with removable chalk spray paint, according a statement released by the activist after the incident.
Secret Service agents moved quickly to detain the protester, securing the scene within minutes of the vandalism.
At around the 1:30 mark of the video below, a Secret Service agent could be heard saying, “We’re gonna close the building now,” indicating an immediate lockdown in response to the vandalism:
WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers will find offensive.
WATCH: Climate Activists SPRAY PAINTS Presidential Placard at Trump Tower in NYC.
Shouts “This is our country! This is our planet!” as he is led away in handcuffs by the Secret Service. pic.twitter.com/F8e0pydBZS
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) April 23, 2025
Are activists hurting their own cause with stunts like this?
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of an incident involving a person spray painting graffiti inside the public lobby of Trump Tower in New York City,” James Byrne, a U.S. Secret Service spokesman, confirmed via statement, according to amNY.
Byrne added, “There are no disruptions to protective operations. We thank the NYPD for their immediate response and unwavering partnership.”
The activist released a statement through Extinction Rebellion, explaining his motives: “I did this because I am an American. It is my duty to stand up for my country, and my Earth, when a government becomes destructive of our right to Life.”
You can see the letter for yourself below:
Extinction Rebellion issued a press release after their protest pic.twitter.com/1pVZ9OOlnR
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) April 23, 2025
He further criticized the government, saying, “Donald Trump and the regime of private interests he works for — who donate equally to each party — are destructive of your inalienable right to Life.”
The statement also blamed both political parties, noting, “All American political parties are equally complicit in inaction which has brought us to this point.”
Extinction Rebellion, the group behind the protest, has a history of targeting high-profile locations to draw attention to climate change.
Just one day prior, on “Earth Day,” the members of the group vandalized a Tesla dealership in Manhattan to protest Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk’s policies.
(Though that may not be Musk’s title for much longer.)
The identity of Wednesday’s protest activity has not been disclosed, and it remains unclear what charges he may face following his arrest.
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