Former president Donald Trump made a surprise appearance on Oct. 17 at a barbershop in Castle Hill — prompting City Council member Amanda Farías, who represents the neighborhood, to issue a heated response.
“Let’s make something clear — Trump is not welcome in Castle Hill,” she said in a statement posted to Instagram.
Trump’s visit to Knockout Barber at 1189 Castle Hill Ave. was his second recent appearance in the borough following a rally in Crotona Park in May, which was met with vocal protest by local residents and elected officials. Trump did not address the public during the barbershop visit but reportedly met inside with employees and customers for about an hour.
To Farías, the appearance amounted to nothing more than a photo-op. “For the former president, who built his career on racist fear-mongering, to step into our community and attempt to profit from our hard work for his failing campaign is not just ridiculous; it’s insulting,” she said.
Despite the fact that no Republican president has won the state of New York since Ronald Reagan, Trump has insisted his support is growing even in New York City.
While some at the barbershop were photographed wearing the signature red “Make America Great Again” hat of the Trump campaign, and several others wore t-shirts that read “Make Barbers Great Again,” Farías suggested that Trump’s reach within her community is minimal.
“I strongly support VP Harris for President and we will be voting overwhelmingly for her this November 5,” she said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
