Hundreds of New Yorkers took to the city streets Monday to protest vaccine mandates, with some protesters chanting, “f*ck Joe Biden.”
A massive crowd gathered Monday at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan to protest the shot as the city’s new rule, requiring vaccines to enter most places of business, took effect. The group, made up of both masked and unmasked protesters, waved signs and American flags, and chanted “save New York.”
Massive crowd gathers at Foley Square in NYC for a protest against the mandatory shot. Today in NYC the mandatory shot law came in to effect for some businesses.
The chant
” SAVE NY , SAVE NY ” #VaccinePassports #NewYorkCity #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/zIUdhzbpVq— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 13, 2021
The group then appeared to make their way to the Brooklyn Bridge, with several protesters chanting, “F*ck Joe Biden!”
#happeningnow on the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC , protesters against the mandatory shot chant ” F@CK JOE BIDEN ” #JoeBiden #VaccinePassports #NYC pic.twitter.com/MgVRSfUl8D
— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 13, 2021
Protesters against the mandatory shot take over the Brooklyn pier and chant ” F$CK JOE BIDEN ” #NYC #JoeBiden #VaccinePassports pic.twitter.com/Dsuo94JLkK
— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 14, 2021
The rally was organized by Teachers for Choice, which is protesting the fact that teachers and staffers are being forced to get the vaccine in order to keep their jobs, according to Pix 11.
Retired teacher Bill Carroll told the outlet that the government was overstepping its authority with vaccine mandates. “I think what they’re doing in America, they’re taking away our rights about all decisions, medical decisions, we’re standing here we’re letting the government take over everything,” he said.
One teacher, Alycia Morell, said it’s about the mandates themselves rather than the vaccine, according to Pix 11. (RELATED: ‘A Decision We Applaud’ – Big Business Endorses Biden’s Vaccine Mandate)
“I came with a bunch of teachers from a school in Whitestone, Queens. We’re here because of the mandates, some of us are even vaccinated, but we’re fighting the mandate and we don’t want the children to have to be mandated for vaccines – so we’re fighting for everybody not just ourselves,” Morell said.
Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in August that all employees of the city’s Department of Education must be vaccinated. The rule, however, did not allow staff to avoid vaccination by submitting negative coronavirus tests each week.
The United Federation of Teachers Union eventually struck a deal with the city allowing teachers to request an alternative work assignment if they have religious or medical exemptions. Teachers for Choice are set to file a lawsuit over the vaccine mandate, according to Pix 11.
De Blasio also announced in August that the city would require proof of vaccination at most indoor businesses. However, the new vaccine passport system will disproportionately affect communities of color, city data shows.
Meanwhile, Biden recently announced all employers with 100 or more employees must be vaccinated or be tested weekly in order to work.