Media frenzy, scant demonstrators greet Donald Trump as he arrives in NYC ahead of arraignment: LIVE UPDATES

All eyes are on New York City, where former President Donald Trump returned Monday for his indictment on charges expected to stem from his hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Never before has a former president faced criminal charges — and never before has the Big Apple braced for the kinds of protests that could accompany his arrival and court appearance. Stay tuned here for live updates:

7:00 p.m.

Just a few hours after Trump’s arrival at his NYC headquarters, small crowds of supporters and critics petered out.

Passersby noted the historic nature of the occasion, with some gawking at the huge gathering of media bunkered down through the evening.

“I moved to New York to be where big things happen. I feel like I’m witnessing history right now,” said Nick Levy, 23, who’d walked a few blocks from his apartment to check out the scene.

The lack of big protests came as a relief to one tourist.

“I’m kind of glad there’s not,” said Emily Szewckzyk of Indiana. “If people think this a fair trial, then what is there to protest?”

A Belgian visitor said she’d never seen anything like the dozens of reporters, videographers and photographers who were camped out.

“For us, this isn’t normal. We don’t see it — like, never,” said Daisy Emmers, 37. “This is just insane.”

Downtown, a handful of Trump supporters showed up outside the Manhattan criminal courts.

“We love President Trump, he loves America and he loves the entire world,” said Aura Moody, 63, a social worker from St. Albans, N.Y.

“What they have done to him has no name,” she added. “He’s an innocent man. They love to attack him because he’s against the deep state.”

4:48 p.m.

One eager Trump supporter could not wait for the former president to get to Manhattan, so he greeted Trump’s plane at the airport.

George, 51, who declined to give his last name, said he used to work at the airport doing construction and maintenance, so he knew where to go to await Trump’s touchdown.

“At the end of the day, he has to just fight. He’s not backing down,” George said of Trump. “He’s a New Yorker. And, you know, I’m not going to say that he’s totally innocent, but I am going to say that they are making sure that he doesn’t run.”

Local authorities are on high alert for demonstrations expected Tuesday, the day of Trump’s scheduled arraignment.

4:17 p.m.

The former president’s motorcade arrived at Trump Tower. He waved twice to gathered media as he entered from E. 56th St.

Former First Lady Melania Trump and Eric Trump were spotted as a small army of journalists stood outside Trump’s guilded NYC headquarters.

3:50 p.m.

Trump’s motorcade leaves LaGuardia Airport en route to Manhattan and his Trump Tower residence. Supporters and protesters await his arrival behind barricades.

3:35 p.m.

Trump’s private plane touched down at LaGuardia Airport in Queens at 3:28 p.m. A couple helicopters circled above as NYPD cops and Secret Service members awaited his arrival.

Reporting by Josephine Stratman

2:28 p.m.

Mayor Adams has warned protesters, including Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, to “be on your best behavior.”

“While there may be some rabble rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow our message is clear and simple: control yourselves,” the mayor said at a City Hall press conference. “New York City’s our home — not a playground for your misplaced anger.”

Adams said the NYPD had no knowledge of any specific threats related to Trump’s appearance and arraignment tomorrow.

2:21 p.m.

Trump’s legal team has filed a motion opposing news cameras in the courtroom to document the former president’s arraignment and subsequent trial, according to CNN.

Trump’s lawyers have argued that such an arrangement would carry an unfair presumption of guilt and put his safety at risk.

News outlets arguing for cameras, including the Daily News, have said their presence would ensure transparency to document the historic events.

1:31 p.m.

Small groups of Trump supporters and detractors are facing off on Fifth Ave. behind a sea of barricades surrounding Trump Tower.

“The indictment? It’s dirty politics. Absolutely dirty politics,” said John McGuigan, who traveled from New Jersey to show his support for the former president.

“They just want to take him out of the race but this will make him stronger. He’s gaining more attention this way than he would if he was just doing rallies around the country. And he’s coming back here today and I can hardly wait to cheer for him because we need him now.”

Robert Hoatson, 71, of East Orange, N.J., was holding a sign that said, “Lock him up and throw the key away.”

“I think people are finally waking up to the fact that since 2015 when he rode that escalator and demeaned people and started his autocratic journey to power, I think people are waking up now, and saying, ‘This man is absolutely crazy,’” Hoatson said.

Hoatson said he is hopeful that the protests stay civil.

“If it gets too hairy, then I leave,” he said.

Reporting by Rebecca White

1:23 p.m.

Trump took off in a private plane from Palm Beach International Airport at 1 p.m. to travel to New York City to face charges, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. He waved to the cameras before boarding.

1:16 p.m.

With the clock ticking toward his historic criminal indictment, Trump has added a new high-powered lawyer to his legal team, according to a report.

Joining Team Trump is white-collar criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor Todd Blanche, according to Politico.

Blanche will operate as Trump’s lead counsel to handle the Manhattan district attorney’s criminal indictment of the former president.

Trump attorney Joe Tacopina confirmed to The News that he’s still on the legal team.

12:26 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump left his Mar-a-Lago compound just after noon Monday en route to a Florida airport for the first leg of his trip to New York City to face a criminal indictment

Some of his most ardent supporters lined Southern Blvd. when his motorcade passed on the way from his Palm Beach estate to Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. They began lining up at 5 a.m.

Trump is headed to LaGuardia Airport and plans to spend the night at his home in Manhattan’s Trump Tower before his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday afternoon.