Thousands of New Yorkers including teachers marched across the Brooklyn Bridge on Monday chanting "F*** Biden" and then gathered near City Hall to protest vaccine mandates. Video posted on social media showed protesters marching with signs in hands in a demonstration organized by a teachers group that is opposing New York City's requirement that they be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The protest came on the day Mayor Bill de Blasio's controversial new vaccine mandate that will now require venues to demand proof of the shot went into effect. The decision has been slammed by thousands, including teachers, who believe that by doing so Biden broke is promise.
Teachers Furious
Teachers in New York City are furious are both de Blasio and President Joe Biden after it was mandated that teachers and staff in all NYC public schools would be required to get at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by September 27. Otherwise, the teachers won't be eligible to take classes. Moreover, there are no exemptions for religious or medical reasons.
On Monday, several of these teachers took out a protest march. Videos of the raucous group posted to Twitter show some of the participants disparaging the chief executive along with Covid-19 vaccine restrictions.
As they marched on the Brooklyn Bridge they could be heard shouting "F*** Biden" in protest to the vaccine mandate. "I have lived and worked in this city as a civil servant for 28 years of my life," retired teacher Amy Carroll told PIX11. "I should be able to make my own health decisions and make a decision that doesn't affect my employment that doesn't affect my right to go to a restaurant, or a Broadway play, a museum."
Showing Their Anger
The teaching community is now divided over the new vaccine mandate. While those who are vaccinated don't have any problem with Biden's decision, several are of the opinion that the government is being too harsh on them.
Moreover, according to de Blasio's new mandate, those teachers who refuse to get vaccinated might also get laid off. The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), which represents the city's educators, has said it is seeking arbitration to fight the order.
The arbitrator ruled late on Friday that the city must offer non-classroom assignments to teachers who aren't vaccinated because of medical and religious exemptions. The mandate goes into effect as New York City public health data shows a sharp decline in newly diagnosed Covid-19 cases.
