New York, NY – Dozens of cars gathered in different boroughs of New York City on Friday May 1 in honor of May Day, or International Workers Day. Due to the city being on pause, protesters used a caravan to display signs and drive through different neighborhoods in the city, showing solidarity with workers and other oppressed groups. A special focus was put on COVID-19 and how workers, prisoners and immigrants lack protection from COVID-19.

The three contingents started in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Their demands included cancel the rents, hazard pay and PPE, free healthcare and COVID testing, free them all, close the camps, and a relief fund for immigrants. The cars passed by various hospitals, public housing, workplaces on strike (including Target and Whole Foods), and other locations to show solidarity with those most affected by the virus.

All of the contingents then met up in Manhattan and drove by Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office in protest of his policies not meeting the demands of the caravan, such as his refusal to cancel rent, not providing financial relief to undocumented people, and using prison labor to make hand sanitizer while they are especially vulnerable to catching the virus.

The caravan was organized and endorsed by a coalition of groups, including NYC May Day Actions for Our Lives, Laundry Workers Center, New York Community Action Project, People’s Power Assemblies, International League of People’s Struggle, and many others.

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