Protest opposes fare hikes in wake of storm

The Bail Out the People Movement took to the streets on Dec. 30 in the wake of the storm crisis that paralyzed New York City. Activists held a combination protest and news conference at the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s midtown offices. BOPM’s main demand was for an emergency repeal of the fare hike, which the group called “outrageous.”

BOPM expanded its call to include a series of measures to reverse the systematic dismantling of public transportation and other agencies that turned a midlevel storm into a crisis.

The group called for an emergency response from the city and MTA that would: 1) Repeal the fare hike; 2) Rehire transit workers and sanitation workers; 3) Create 10,000 jobs to help dig people out of the neighborhoods and deal with other catastrophes; and 4) Order employers to pay workers who missed work in the storm’s aftermath.

For more information see bailoutpeople.org.

— Report and photo by John Catalinotto