Overview

• Nathaniel Smith, an Extinction Rebellion NYC activist, was arrested after spray-painting 'USA' over the presidential seal inside Trump Tower on April 23.
• The protest was part of a series of Earth Day actions that included vandalizing the Wall Street Charging Bull and a Tesla dealership in Manhattan.
• Smith unfurled a banner reading 'GAME OVER' and declared, 'They are ruining the planet for profit,' before being detained by Secret Service and NYPD officers.
• Extinction Rebellion defended the use of washable paint as a nonviolent tactic to highlight government and corporate inaction on climate change.
• The U.S. Secret Service confirmed no disruptions to protective operations, and charges against arrested protesters are pending.