NEW YORK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2019) Federal employees and union activists in the US state of New York took to the streets on Tuesday to demand that President Donald Trump and Congress take action to end the ongoing partial government shutdown.
"Open our government," the protesters shouted, as they gathered in the Civic Center district of Manhattan, carrying signs demanding "justice" and immediate payment for furloughed federal workers.
�Tuesday's rally, organized by the National Action Network of civil rights groups, drew the participation of the American Federation of Government Employees, as well as others affected by the shutdown.
The protesters circled around the Jacob K Javits Federal Bureau Building, which houses many federal government offices, including those of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration.
Participants called on lawmakers from both the Democratic and the Republican parties to pass a federal funding bill which would provide salaries for federal workers.
Some expressed frustration with President Donald Trump's demand for at least $5.7 billion in funds to build a wall along the border with Mexico.
"We need work, not a wall! End the shutdown now," one placard read.
Democrats in Congress have refused to meet Trump's demand for money to build the wall, and the president has refused to pass any funding legislation that does not provide funds for the barrier. The impasse
As of Tuesday, the government has been partially closed for 25 days, making it the longest shutdown in US history. About 800,000 federal workers have either been sent home or forced to work without pay since the shutdown began on December 22.
