Eric Trump's view from the front row of his father's hush money trial: Crime is at an all-time high in New York so why is the city shut down for a $130,000 payment in 2016

Eric Trump joined his father for the first time at his New York criminal trial on Tuesday morning and offered a withering assessment of what he saw. 

'There are hundreds of law enforcement officers, the streets are closed down for blocks around the courthouse and the entire district attorneys office is in attendance — their top prosecutors, all for $130,000 payment by a lawyer in 2016?' he told DailyMail.com.

Eric Trump sat in the front row just behind his father for proceedings on the 15th floor of Manhattan's ageing criminal court.

He heard his father be held in contempt and fined $9000 for repeatedly violating a gag order before listening to the testimony of prosecution witnesses Gary Farro, a banker, and Keith Davidson, a lawyer who represented 

Trump has denied 34 counts of business fraud.

Eric Trump (left) joined his father at Manhattan Criminal Court for the first time on Tuesday morning. He asked why hundreds of officers had been diverted from other duties to surround the court building when New York was reeling from high levels of crime

And his son said it was impossible not to conclude that the case was all about politics. 

'Crime is at an all-time high in New York,' he said. 'Stores are closing left and right because of unthinkable shoplifting — the rest have to cover their items behind locked plexiglass to avoid being ravaged. 

'Kids have been shot in Times Square. Women have been thrown to their death in the subways, drugs and homelessness are through the roof. 

'No one believes this production is serious. No one believes this isn't 1000 percent politically motivated.'

Allies have made similar points, questioning whether such a heavy police presence is necessary when officers have so much work to do elsewhere in the city.

As police officers were guarding the courthouse in lower Manhattan, students further north at Columbia University escalated their Gaza protest, for example, taking over a building on the campus. 

His father has also condemned streets closures around the court, and complained that it has prevented his supporters from gathering nearby.

'Lower Manhattan surrounding the Courthouse, where I am heading now, is completely CLOSED DOWN,' he posted on Truth Social last week.

Parts of a public square have been left open for protesters on both sides of the political divide to assemble although navigating the streets around the courthouse has left visitors confused and disoriented.

Trump has denied 34 counts of falsifying business records. He is seen here with his lawyers

Eric Trump arrived with his father on Tuesday morning as the trial entered its third week

Trump aide Margo Martin leaves Trump Tower with the president to make their way to court 

Natalie Harp, another Trump aide, and his senior adviser Dan Scavino make their way into the motorcade 

Eric arrived with Trump aides Margo McDonald and Natalie Harp. Also attending for the first time was Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Now into its third week, the trial has kept Trump from the campaign trail. However, on Wednesday (when the court does not sit) he is due to appear in Wisconsin and Michigan, where he will hold a rally in the evening.

Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. 

Jurors have heard the testimony of longtime assistant Rhona Graff, who described once seeing Daniels at Trump's office and assumed she must be in the running to appear in an 'Apprentice' show.

And last week former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker described how he agreed to act as the Trump campaign's 'eyes and ears,' hunting down and killing unflattering stories about the 2016 Republican candidate.

Elsewhere in the city, pro-Palestinian protestors smashed windows and took over a campus building at Columbia University, escalating tensions between them and the school

Texas Attorney General and close Trump ally Ken Paxton was also in attendance Tuesday

Judge Juan Merchan also warned the former president he could face jail if he does not stop his flow of attacks on witnesses.

And in a clear warning in his ruling, the judge noted the challenge of relying on financial penalties against a defendant who can 'easily afford' to pay the fine. In the case of the billionaire Trump, he raised the possibility of 'whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment.'

But there was some good news for the 77-year-old former president, as Judge Merchan ruled he could attend Barron's high school graduation next month.

Trump aides had been incensed at the start of the trial when Merchan said he could not guarantee being able to give the court the day off. 

Trump was fined $1,000 each for a series of social media posts that targeted witness Michael Cohen and questioned the bias of the jury.