#bodegastrike

[konstphoto]

Bodega Strike rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Hundreds of Yemeni bodega owners all over New York City closed their businesses for a day in response to Trump’s immigration ban.

Photographs by Konstantin Sergeyev.

[elizabethminkel]

Today Yemeni bodega and restaurant owners across the five boroughs closed up shop in protest. My little corner of Brooklyn has many Arab and Muslim-owned businesses—especially Syrian, Lebanese, and Yemeni (shout-out to my beloved Damascus Bakery!)—so I wasn't surprised to see several of them shut today, including the one I go to most frequently.

But the streets in my neighborhood were bustling this afternoon: I passed big groups of people holding flags and signs and heading towards Borough Hall, where a solidarity rally would be held this evening. I showed up before the official start time and hundreds of people were already there, packing the steps of Borough Hall and waving American flags. I saw someone say later that they’d never seen so many American flags at a protest, and I’d say the same. It was an endless sea of red, white, and blue.

I've always had the privilege to scoff at flag-waving patriotism. Two generations removed from immigration to this country, it's something I could always take for granted. But I'm hard-pressed to remember a moment where I've watched people chant "USA! USA!" and wave American flags and felt so moved. It doesn't take much for me to cry these days, but still. To embrace a country whose government is actively trying to reject you—to cheer for it wholeheartedly—takes an extraordinary amount of courage.

A man held a sign that said: "Brooklyn my home. Brooklynites my family. United we stand." Fellow New Yorkers: let's make sure we fight like hell to let him know that we feel the same way about him.

[melodysblog]

Utterly inspired by the #bodegastrike that took place In NYC today 😭 thousands of retail & taxi workers have gone on strike against Trump's. immigration ban. 💞🙌🏽💖

[womensmarch]

The Bodega Strike rally at Brooklyn's Borough Hall.

[deadstockspot]

#BodegaStrike #NoBanNoWall #FuckTrump ✊🏼🇺🇸 _ _ #Repost @fredsummalansky ・・・ All the SmokeShops closed today... I had to buy a pack. Smh... No funny shyt tho, #Trump is beasting b, let them people live... #FREETHEHOOD #GTM _ #Yemen #Strike #muslim #MuslimBan #NoMuslimBan #NoWall #Protest #Resist #NYC #Bodega #SmokeShop (at DEAD STOCK)

[protestsigns2017]

02/02/17 “lmao muslim protest sign game is getting way 2 good @ the yemeni business boycott”

[stopkillingblackpeople]

#justice4ramarley #firerichardhaste Rally for Ramarley marches to Brooklyn in solidarity with #bodegastrike #blacklivesmatter #ftp #ramarleygraham

[protestsigns2017]

02/02/17 “At Myrtle & Hall #NoBanNoWall”