Four people were arrested during an early morning protest in support of immigrant workers at a famed Queens bakery who are facing a mass firing Friday, police say.
The protest, named "Day Without Bread," began early at the Tom Cat Bakery in Long Island City. They say they're striking for fair severance of the 31 longtime immigrant workers at the bakery who could be fired, and to highlight Trump's "inhumane" immigration policies.
A Department of Homeland Security audit led to Tom Cat Bakery telling undocumented immigrant workers in March to either produce new employment documents or be let go. Friday was the extended deadline.
The workers who were about to get cut walked out on what was supposed to be their final shift. They say they rejected an initial severance offer by Tom Cat and want to reach a "fair deal."
Demonstrators positioned themselves under the trucks overnight, laying down with pillows and sleeping bags and chaining themselves to the vehicles in an attempt to halt Friday's bread delivery.
Police officers were seen going underneath the trucks to retrieve the protesters. Four people were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, they said.
Supporters say the problem is bigger than what's happening at Tom Cat.
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"The racist, the xenophobic Trump has really broken our nation's immigration system," said Gabriel Morales.
Tom Cat declined to comment Friday.
Tom Cat is New York City's oldest artisanal bakery, and provides bread to Citarella, Darden restaurants and the Grand Hyatt, among other fine restaurants and gourmet stores across the city. The bakery employs about 180 workers in the Long Island City neighborhood.
