WASHINGTON – Democrats and other critics of former president Donald Trump greeted the spectacle of his arrest on Tuesday with a blend of gleeful schadenfreude and far more muted initial reactions.

Counter-protesters embraced “Lock Him Up” slogans, while some Democratic politicians cheered the case. Others reached for more sober tones to address an extraordinary and uncertain moment in American history – when they acknowledged it at all.

“On its face, this indictment seems methodical and well-reasoned,” said Democrat Representative Jerry Nadler, a former chair of the House Judiciary Committee. “Trump will, of course, have every opportunity to defend himself in court, like every other defendant in the New York judicial system.”

Another Democrat Representative Grace Meng, added in a statement: “This is a sad and sombre day for our nation. It is the first time in our country’s history that a former United States president has been criminally indicted. Today’s arrest shows that nobody is above the law.”

Trump, accused by prosecutors of covering up a potential sex scandal during the 2016 presidential campaign, was charged with 34 felony counts. He has pleaded not guilty.

“The former president was indicted by a group of Americans who acted on the evidence presented to them and the law,” Democrat Representative Katie Porter, who is running for Senate, wrote on Twitter. “Actions should have consequences.”

But while many Democrats emphasise the importance of accountability, there are clear divisions within the party over how much to talk about the case, and how to do so.

On Tuesday, some of the lawmakers quickest to promote statements on social media came from the more liberal wing of the party.

“While everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty, it is my hope that our judicial system will hold Trump accountable for his crimes to the highest degree,” said Democrat Representative Barbara Lee, who is also running for Senate.

Representative Greg Casar added: “May some justice finally be served for the Grifter-in-Chief.”

In an interview on Monday, Representative Jamaal Bowman said that Trump should receive no special treatment as he encountered the legal system.

“It’s about time, and you know, he should also be put in handcuffs,” Mr Bowman said. Trump was not handcuffed. “Poor Black and brown people are put in handcuffs all the time for things like jumping turnstiles.”

Referring to Republican attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case, Mr Bowman continued, “Once you have Republicans in Congress making statements that undermine a district attorney, it is on us as Democrats in Congress and Democrats across the country to speak out against that and to respond to that.”

“We’re bringing decorum to a fist fight,” he added, encouraging fellow Democrats to speak out forcefully against Republicans on this and other issues. “While we’re trying to be polite with our words, they’re knocking us upside the head.”

Other Democrats have been far more leery of wading into the case.

“That’s in the court system,” said former Representative Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, who previously served as a senior adviser to President Joe Biden at the White House and is a senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee, speaking a day before Trump’s arraignment. “People talk about it however they want, but, you know, we don’t comment on investigations. I don’t comment on charges.”

On march 30, a representative for the committee, Ammar Moussa, acknowledged the indictment briefly, saying that “no matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.”

The White House has sought to steer clear of publicly discussing Trump’s legal issues, and on Tuesday President Biden did not respond to questioning about Trump’s indictment, according to a pool report.

Some Democrats are happy to let an issue that is plainly messy for Republicans play out, and were in no hurry to release statements or post tweets on the subject.

Around the time that a CNN chyron blared, “Donald Trump under arrest and awaiting arraignment”, the White House sent out a recap of Mr Biden’s visit to Minnesota on Monday, part of his “Investing in America” tour focused on his economic agenda.

Other Democrats feel torn between their demands for legal accountability and worries about whether this was the strongest, most impactful case to bring against Trump.

And many caution against appearing to root for a development that, they say, is far from a joyous moment for the country, emphasising instead the importance of due process.

“I certainly don’t think we should be smiling from ear to ear and cheering and celebrating a former president being indicted,” said former Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois, a former chair of the House Democratic campaign arm. “We ought to be serious about it and sober about it and put our faith in the judicial system and let that play out. But I think it would be very harmful if we’re taking glee in the indictment of a former president.”

Trump faces a swirl of other investigations, on matters including his handling of sensitive government documents after leaving office and whether he and his allies criminally interfered with the 2020 presidential election. He could face multiple other indictments. NYTIMES