In New York City, thousands of teachers, union members and activists marched on Wall Street Thursday under the banner: “Make big banks and millionaires pay.” The protest came just a week after New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed laying off 4,000 public school teachers.

Protester: “My name is Lauren. I’m a New York City public schoolteacher. I teach at East Harlem. I’m out here today because not only are the jobs of myself and my co-workers at stake due to these budget cuts, but also the futures of my students: the less teachers, the less quality education. So I’m out here to say that Wall Street needs to pay their fair share. There are corporations and banks that are getting away with paying no taxes. There are billionaires, millionaires, who are getting away with paying less percentage of their income than the rest of us. And I say they have to pay their share, so that’s why I’m out here today.”