MANHATTAN — Thousands gathered in Lower Manhattan Thursday to protest the mayor's proposed budget cuts, calling on the city to spare social programs and "make big banks and millionaires pay."
The crowd, which included activists from education, housing, transportation and several other industries that would be affected by the budget cuts, was estimated to have reached 20,000, according to organizer Dan Levitan.
Participants convened in eight meeting places around Lower Manhattan and began marching towards Wall and Water streets in the Financial District about 4:30 p.m.