Hundreds of New Yorkers took to Foley Square Monday to rally against vaccine mandates in New York City, especially those required by the Department of Education.

The rally was organized by the group Teachers for Choice. Organizers say this is a crucial day for the history of the city. They say they don't plan to comply with vaccine mandates that are being implemented.

This comes as a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan issued a brief order late in the day Monday that lifted a block of the mandate that a single appeals judge had put in place on Friday.

Mayor Bill De Blasio issued a statement via the Department of Education saying, "Vaccinations are our strongest tool in the fight against COVID-19 – this ruling is on the right side of the law and will protect our students and staff. The mandate will go into effect on Friday end of day so that by Monday October 4, one hundred percent of educators and staff in our buildings will be vaccinated."

Officials say over 87% of DOE employees, 91% of teachers, and 97% of principals have been vaccinated and those numbers continue to rise every day.

Protesters say the city has no place putting a mandate on workers.

"We need to step back, be able to have a conversation, and let people make their own choice," says protester Paul Varcak.

A spokesperson from the DOE said the ruling is on the right side of the law and will protect students and staff.

One of the plaintiffs in the case says she and other teachers won't stop the fight.

"It's definitely discouraging that we trust the judicial system to hear the arguments, and they looked at the papers and they made a split second decision and tossed our injunction and entire case in the garbage," says Rachel Maniscalco, a special education and English teacher. "This is not fair, this is not due process, we are discouraged but we are not going to stop."

Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, expressed concern about the potential for a shortage of teachers. Mulgrew says the city still has a lot of work to do to ensure there will be enough vaccinated staff by the new deadline.