NYC bracing for potential unrest after Trump claims he will be arrested Tuesday

Right now, it's just not clear when an arrest could happen. A vote could come as early as Wednesday when the grand jury meets, but then its next scheduled day is Friday, and even if there is an indictment, it's not clear what the charges would be. Watch Dick Brennan's report above for more.

With the possible indictment of former President Donald Trump looming, high-ranking law enforcement officials are preparing for protests.

The arrest of Trump, which he predicted would happen on Tuesday, did not happen, and neither did much of the large-scale protests that he urged his supporters to take part in.

However, the NYPD and federal law enforcement continues to plan for any potential mayhem.

Dozens of Trump supporters gathered in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, while a caravan of cars drove through Long Island, sporting signs and flags for the former president.

Edward Shipek came all the way from Palm Beach, Florida, after the former president claimed he would be arrested on Tuesday.

"He's almost like the messiah, like Jesus, where they just want to crucify this man for becoming president," Shipek said.

But unlike on Jan. 6, demonstrations across New York barely brought out 100 people Tuesday, despite Trump's calls on social media to protest.

And yet, with the grand jury still hearing from witnesses in this case, the NYPD remains on high alert, setting up heavy fencing around Manhattan's courthouse.

All 35,000 NYPD officers, including undercover cops, are being ordered to dress in full uniform and be ready to mobilize at a moment's notice.

"We're here to support the president," Trump supporter James Robitsek said at a Trump caravan in Seaford.

"I think the police and all the relevant agencies need to be prepared because you don't want to compound the problem by not being prepared when protesters do show up," former federal prosecutor Franklin Monsour said.

Earlier Tuesday, a bomb threat at the courthouse was called into 911, but nothing was found when authorities swept the building and court business continued.

The scenario has captivated the political world in a way probably not seen since Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. Watch Marcia Kramer's report in the video above. 

There's been more action outside the courthouse as police get ready for possible criminal charges in the case against former President Donald Trump. Watch Jessica Moore's report in the video above. 

Several sources close to former President Donald Trump say he is currently huddling at his private club at Mar-a-Lago and meeting with his team, including his lawyers and senior advisers from his campaign operation, as he awaits a possible indictment in New York City. 

Trump posted on social media over the weekend that he expected to be arrested this week by the Manhattan district attorney, who has been investigating whether Trump was involved in allegedly falsifying business records to hide campaign finance violations tied to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

CLICK HERE to read the full story. 

We're getting new information Tuesday about the plan to increase security in New York City after former President Donald Trump announced he expects to be indicted. 

Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue is just one of many locations where the NYPD is stepping up its presence. Barricades are up. The NYPD reports they are prepared to deploy all of their resources to prepare for any potential protests. 

"This crowd gives me pause, because there are different groups that could come in armed. They could come in with explosives. they could come in with Molotov cocktails," said Jerome Hauer, former New York Homeland Security and Emergency Services commissioner.   

Law enforcement sources say plans for potential violence or large protests have prompted a joint response from the NYPD, U.S. Secret Service and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. 

Intelligence sources tell CBS News they're seeing a significant increase in online threats and violent rhetoric related to Trump's possible indictment, after the former president urged his supporters on Truth Social to "protests, take our nation back." 

"We're monitoring comments on social media, and the NYPD is doing their normal role of making sure there's no inappropriate actions in the city," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

Barricades have been placed around Trump Tower and criminal court, where Trump is likely to appear, if charged. If an indictment comes, sources tell us there will be a so-called "ring of steel" around the courthouse, with entrances sealed off and guarded by police. 

The NYPD says it plans to deploy several resources including the police Harbor Unit in the East River and Hudson River, helicopter surveillance, specifically in the skies above the criminal courthouse, and SWAT teams stationed at strategic locations. In addition, heavy sanitation trucks and NYPD armored vehicles will be prepared to block off certain streets, if needed. 

"The Intelligence Division is going to look into possibly excessive airline trips into New York City from places where we had co-conspirators that were part of the January 6th offensive," said security expert Darrin Porcher. 

Police along with the MTA and Port Authority are also preparing for the possibility of caravans intentionally tying up rush hour traffic on the city's bridges and tunnels. 

Additionally, sources say the NYPD's headquarters will be fully staffed and bomb squads will be on alert. 

All NYPD officers have been ordered to dress in uniform Tuesday and be ready to mobilize if needed. 

Watch CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer's extended interview with Pace University professor and former NYPD Lt. Darrin Porcher.

The Manhattan district attorney's office has been investigating former President Donald Trump's alleged campaign finance violations stemming from alleged hush money payments made to women, including adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claim they had sexual encounters with the former president. 

CLICK HERE for a timeline of the case. 

Law enforcement officials are monitoring for any credible, specific threats. 

"There are different groups that could come in armed, they could come in with explosives, they could come in with Molotov cocktails," said Jerome Hauer, former New York Homeland Security and Emergency Services commissioner.   

Intelligence sources tell CBS News they are seeing a significant increase in online threats and violent rhetoric related to former President Donald Trump's possible indictment. It comes after Trump urged his supporters on Truth Social to "protest, take our nation back."

"We're monitoring comments on social media, and the NYPD is doing their normal role of making sure there's no inappropriate actions in the city," Mayor Eric Adams said Monday.    

• Related Story: "Significant increase" in threats online ahead of possible Trump indictment

Barricades have been placed around Manhattan Criminal Court, where Trump is likely to appear if charged. 

If an indictment comes, sources say there will be a ring of steel around the courthouse, with entrances sealed off and guarded by police. 

New York Young Republicans rallied outside the courthouse Monday. 

"We want President Trump to know that he has our support, we stand behind him," one woman said. 

"We want to show that conservatives can still come out in a deep blue city and protest peacefully," said Gavin Wax, president of the New York Young Republican club.

• Related Story: New York Young Republican Club protests potential indictment of former President Donald Trump

Pace University professor and former NYPD Lt. Darrin Porcher says the department's preparation if multifaceted. 

"The Intelligence Division is going to look into possibly excessive airline trips into New York City from places where we had co-conspirators that were part of the Jan. 6 offensive," he said. 

Sources tell CBS2 the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, which handled the George Floyd protests, is on standby. Police, along with the MTA and Port Authority, are preparing for the possibility of caravans intentionally tying up rush hour traffic this week on the city's bridges and tunnels. 

Sources also say the NYPD is ordering all officers to dress in full uniform Tuesday and prepare to be mobilized. 

Former President Donald Trump's rants on social media continued Monday night, in anticipation of what he believes will be his arrest Tuesday. 

Did the former president falsify business records to hide campaign finance violations? That's what the Manhattan district attorney's office has been investigating after alleged hush money payments were made to women who claim they had sexual encounters with Trump, including adult film star Stormy Daniels, in the lead up to the 2016 presidential election. 

Daniels told "60 Minutes" she was paid by Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to keep quiet about an alleged affair. 

"I was concerned for my family and their safety," Daniels said in the interview. 

• Timeline: Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels and the $130,000 payment to buy her silence

Cohen later admitted he did write checks in coordination with and at the direction of Trump. 

On Monday, the grand jury overseeing the case appeared to take an important step forward by hearing from a witness favorable to Trump -- Robert Costello, who tried to discredit Cohen. 

"If they want to go after Donald Trump and they have solid evidence, so be it. But Michael Cohen is far from solid evidence," said Costello. 

Trump has long denied the accusations, and in 2018, initially denied knowing anything about payoffs. 

• Related Story: Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg saw case against Trump as potentially "charge ready" years ago

"The transaction itself is very easy to prove. There are cancelled checks that bear Trump's signature," Former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Zachary Carter told CBS2.

Carter said if there is an indictment, getting a conviction could be difficult. 

"The greatest challenge in the case is proving a criminal intent of the part of Donald Trump," he said.

Many Republicans are rallying around Trump. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 rival, criticized the Bragg investigation, but he didn't hold back from seemingly taking a campaign shot at Trump. 

"I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair, I just can't speak to that," said DeSantis. 

The next steps in the grand jury process remain unclear. It's still uncertain if additional witnesses might be summoned.