(CNN) — New York City Firefighters (FDNY) and several health workers are part of a march against vaccine mandates.
The protesters closed off incoming traffic to Manhattan as they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge.
Signs in the crowd read “No Forced Vaccination”, “My body is my choice”, “Stop the mandate” and “Let freedom ring.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on October 20 that all city workers must receive at least one dose of the covid-19 vaccine before 5 p.m. on October 29 or they will have to take unpaid leave.
The city’s municipal workforce, including the New York Police Department and the FDNY, already had a requirement to get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 every week, but the testing option has now been removed.
“Coercion is not an option,” reads a banner from a protester protesting against vaccines in New York on October 25, 2021. (Credit: WABC)
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Another sign said “Kyrie’s Side.” Kyrie Irving is the Brooklyn Nets basketball player who chose not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 despite local regulations prohibiting unvaccinated players from participating in home games.
According to CNN affiliate NY1, the march would end in Mayor’s Office.
The NYPD said in a tweet: “Due to a protest, all lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge bound for Manhattan are currently blocked. Expect delays and consider alternative routes. “
New York City Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Silwa is in attendance, shaking hands with others in the crowd.
– With reports from Laura Ly, Laura Studley, Homero De La Fuente, and Laura James
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