We are, frankly, surprised it took this long. But on day 20 of the government shutdown, the first day workers began receiving paychecks for $0.00, some decided to take a stand. Thousands of furloughed workers protested across the country. The biggest event was in Washington DC (watch above). The Hill reports:
Workers from a variety of federal agencies attended the event, which started in front of the AFL-CIO headquarters and made its way down to the White House.
Several protestors wore bright vests which read “I am a worker, I demand a voice.”
Others expressed their frustration through signs.
One read “My paycheck is not leverage for 45’s racism,” referring to arguments that Trump’s saying there is a crisis at the border is rooted in racist views of Latino people.
Another sign read, “We want work, not walls.”
Here are some protests from around the country.
Members & supporters of the National Air Controllers Association and others protest the partial federal government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 10, 2019: https://t.co/anYv2bcwoU. Congress & Trump remain at a budget stalemate.
Photos by Pat Benic/Kevin Dietsch @UPI. pic.twitter.com/aMSyo082el— UPI Photos (@UPIPhotos) January 10, 2019
‘My bills don’t get shut down’: Furloughed federal workers in Kansas City protest shutdown https://t.co/UdJ7HbgY62
— Lindsay Wise (@lindsaywise) January 10, 2019
“Jobs not walls, jobs not walls,” @RevJJackson leads chant in Chicago as federal workers protest the government shutdown. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/KsYDkuKbPG
— Wendy Widom (@wendywidom) January 10, 2019
#GovtShutdown #Dallas #EPA #TSA #LocalAFGE #Furlough Dallas area fed employees protest Govt Shutdown pic.twitter.com/9z5bluOu9A
— STEVE PICKETT (@STEVEPICK11) January 10, 2019
Federal employees gather in #Detroit to protest partial shutdown. At least 55 here, coming from EPA, TSA, USDA, other agencies, TACOM (in support). “Let us be paid for doing our jobs,” one TSA employee shouts. Others chant “Open the government now,” “Let us do our jobs.” pic.twitter.com/l5dlTJb2uY
— Annalise Frank (@annalise_frank) January 10, 2019
.#GovernmentShutdown protest in #Ogden in pictures. Hundreds showed up to the federal building today asking for the shutdown to end. @KUTV2News pic.twitter.com/WWEKp7vq6K
— RaeAnn Christensen (@RaeOnTheNews) January 10, 2019
Protests continue tomorrow.