New York (AFP) – Hundreds of Yemeni Americans braved the winter chill in New York on Thursday to demonstrate against President Donald Trump’s travel ban, closing bodega stores in protest.
The crowd stood shoulder to shoulder, crammed onto the steps outside Brooklyn’s city hall, waving a sea of American flags and carrying the odd Yemeni flag or placards with slogans such as “Muslim Lives Matter.”
“Hate Will Never Make US Great” and “No Ban No Wall Refugees Are Welcome Here” said other signs as the crowd of mostly men took the afternoon off work, foregoing business to send a message to Trump.
“We stand here for justice, for dignity,” said Yousef al-Baadani, 31, who like many others works in a bodega, his in Queens.
“Most of the stores closed today,” he told AFP in reference to the Yemeni-owned bodega stores dotted across New York’s five boroughs.
Several of the protesters told AFP that they had been gathered for hours and some said they would remain until 8 pm (0100 GMT Friday).
The Republican president signed an executive order last Friday that temporarily closed US borders to refugees as well as to visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
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