Thousands of bodegas in NYC closed in protest of Trump’s immigration ban, and the photos are incredible
More than a thousand bodega’s in NYC shut down in protest Trump, specifically the president’s recent executive order, which bans immigrants and refugees from seven majority Muslim countries. The bodega protest follows the protest of New York City taxi drivers, who stopped driving the night the ban went live in solidarity with protesters.
We get it. The ban has already done so much harm, leading to people being trapped in airports for hours, sent back home, and generally traumatized. As this protest highlights, people from the countries Trump has deemed bad — despite being the cause of minimal terrorist attacks in our history, considering that most of the terrorists in our country are actually from here — aren’t bad, but are an essential part of our communities.
The bodega protest was led by the Yemeni community, as Yemen is one of the countries on Trump’s list of countries banned from traveling to the U.S.
the guys at my corner bodega keep this place open 24/7, including holidays. not today. #BodegaStrike #NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/qDRBopXPwH
— Melissa León (@MelissaHLeon) February 2, 2017
Loads of people shut down their stores and gathered in solidarity with supporters in Brooklyn to take a stance on the ban.
Bodega workers protest Trump's refugee ban in downtown Brooklyn. @DNAinfoNY #BodegaStrike pic.twitter.com/TKmw5Io3zH
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) February 2, 2017
And to make it clear that this has a direct, negative impact on their lives.
At the bodega strike demonstration outside Brooklyn Borough Hall. Still in full swing if anyone wants to pop by. pic.twitter.com/AE79653eRt
— Dana Stevens (@thehighsign) February 2, 2017
The support for the protesters was palpable.
Signs on a bodega in Brooklyn in support of our neighbors on strike against muslim ban. #BrooklynResists pic.twitter.com/VjiigQp4xK
— DemonicEntity (@droogiejazz) February 2, 2017
Because it makes zero sense to suddenly turn and make a huge sweeping generalization of communities that are a part of our country.
Photos from the anti-Trump travel ban protest at Brooklyn Borough Hall with over 1,000 Yemini-American bodega owners https://t.co/U5cHszK8Pr pic.twitter.com/aEq2phNfFV
— amNewYork (@amNewYork) February 2, 2017
Some protesters pointed out the hypocrisy in acting like refugees just suddenly appear out of nowhere instead of being actual humans impacted by harm caused by governments.
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One of the main points of the protest was to remind people all over that America is overwhelmingly made up of immigrants, and we can’t ignore that.
This is what America looks like #BodegaStrike #NoBanNoWall #RESISTANCE pic.twitter.com/kwep7W15yu
— Andrew Redlawsk 🇺🇲 (@AndrewRedlawsk) February 3, 2017
It’s an impressive show of solidarity.
I guess @realDonaldTrump didn't get the memo: When you try to tear us apart, you only make us stronger. #BodegaStrike #MyYemeniNeighbor pic.twitter.com/1KNBZrrVzu
— Justin Brannan (@JustinBrannan) February 2, 2017
And it’s a reminder that we have a voice. Here are just a few social justice organizations you can support to make your voice heard, too.
