Thousands of workers gathered in New York on Monday and marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, protesting coronavirus vaccine mandates while engaging in a series of chants, including “Hold the Line!” and “Fuck Joe Biden!”
The anti-mandate protest took place Monday following New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s (D) announcement last week, mandating the vaccine for city workers, affecting 160,500 city employees, including first responders. Those who fail to show proof of their first vaccination by Friday, October 29 at 5 p.m. Eastern risk being placed on unpaid leave.
The announcement triggered immense backlash. New York City’s Police Benevolent Association (PBA), for example, vowed to take legal action against the mayor and his administration over the coercive mandate.
But on Monday, workers took their dismay to the streets, marching across the Brooklyn Bridge in a show of solidarity against the intrusive mandates issued by the mayor. Videos show protesters holding signs and shouting as they make their way across the bridge. The ever-popular “Fuck Joe Biden,” as well as “Fuck de Blasio,” was among the chants heard amongst the crowd:
Another video shows construction workers giving waves of approval to the demonstrators, who made their way across the bridge:
The Democrat mayor announced the vaccine mandate last week after bragging of his previous mandate on school employees and healthcare workers. He also touted his Key to NYC Pass, which essentially forces private businesses to discriminate against unvaccinated individuals.
“It’s time for people to see vaccination as literally necessary to living a good and full and healthy life,” the Democrat declared in August, bragging of his plan to cut off unvaccinated individuals from everyday activities.
Earlier this month, when confronted on why he had yet to issue a mandate for the remainder of city workers, de Blasio brazenly claimed he preferred to “respect people’s intelligence” before forcing them to get vaccinated. That no longer appears to be the case.
He took his calls a step further last week, begging private businesses to implement their own vaccine mandates, deeming it the “right thing to do.”
“Obviously we’ve given people a lot of time, first in the voluntary phase, then in the vaccinate or test phase. It’s time to keep moving,” he said.
“I would urge everyone out there in the private sector, come on. Government’s been leading the way,” the Democrat added. “The Biden Administration, to their great credit, leading the way. The City of New York, leading the way. We’re showing it works.”