‘Rent is damn high’: Thousands of New Yorkers protested over housing crisis

A housing crisis is raging in America’s largest city. More than a thousand New Yorkers, including union representatives, marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to demand that the city government lower rents, which have been skyrocketing of late.

A crowd of demonstrators, accompanied by drums and wind instruments, truly “made a fuss” on the iconic bridge. Protesters’ banners read: “Rent is too damn high”, “Housing can be free” and “Rest in peace stable rent price”.

“All these damn politicians just make me sick and disgusted by their lies. They are guilty. Guilty of the fact that people are dying here, that we are suffering. They keep accusing us of the violence, but they are the ones responsible for the violence here. They bring us suffering every damn day,” one of the protesters said from the stage.

In connection with the growth of rent in the city, cases of forced eviction of tenants have become more frequent.

“Two years ago I sued my landlord after I was forcibly evicted. Housing rights mean a lot to me, and I think it’s very important that everyone come and express solidarity in this way. You need to be visible and demonstrate the strength of a society that stands for fair housing,” said another protester.

According to local media, the protesters urged officials to pass new legislation that would protect residents from forced evictions and further rent increases. They also demanded the development of a scheme to provide rental vouchers to vulnerable categories of tenants. According to Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, in 2021, one in nine New Yorkers found themselves in a situation of extreme indebtedness to their landlord, and one in six paid more than 30% of their monthly income in rent.