Trump’s arraignment: The scene outside the Miami courthouse

Encircled by journalists, a man dressed as Uncle Sam standing on a hoverboard sang an ode to former President Donald Trump and his supporters.

In an otherwise uneventful morning outside the federal courthouse in Miami, Florida, where Trump is set to be arraigned on Tuesday, Uncle Sam’s act attracted a frenzy of reporters and photographers.

Local officials said they are preparing for protests around the court where Trump is to be formally presented with the 37 criminal counts he is facing – all relating to the mishandling of classified documents.

Trump, who is seeking the White House again in 2024, has denied the charges, dismissing them as a push by his foes to derail his campaign.

There have been concerns about political violence and far-right demonstrators in Miami and fears of scenes similar to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol when Trump’s supporters stormed the building to prevent the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.

But hours before Trump was set to arrive at the court, only a few – often eccentric, if not peculiar – supporters of the former president had shown up. By midday, far more reporters than demonstrators were at the scene.

A man draped in an American flag held a pig’s head on a spike and smiled for the camera as blood and other liquids dripped from the animal’s head. He said it was a reference to Lord of the Flies, a 1954 novel by William Golding that explores leadership, violence and chaos.Duane Schwingel, who was dressed up as Uncle Sam with a top hat and American flag-themed coat, pants and bowtie, said he was at the courthouse to convey a message in support of “freedom, democracy, fighting communism” and “equal application of justice”.

Almost all Trump supporters interviewed by Al Jazeera cited perceived scandals by Democrats that they said went unpunished: Hillary Clinton’s emails, Hunter Biden’s business dealings, Biden’s own issue with retaining classified documents.“I want to remind people that regardless of what party you’re in, we have to all be treated the same. And there is evidence against Hillary and evidence against Biden, but they haven’t been charged,” Chaunce O’Connor, who rode a bicycle while carrying a giant Trump flag, told Al Jazeera.

Despite Trump’s hostility to the mainstream media, the demonstrators supporting him on Tuesday were mostly friendly and jovial.

There was a brief security alert when a suspicious device was found and journalists were asked to clear an area outside the court. Police moved what appeared to be a television monitor with an anti-media slogan on it, and declared the area safe.