New York City street vendors, elected officials and local organizations marched through the heart of Manhattan Thursday to demand that the city provide street vendors with necessary business. 

This is all in order for them to legitimize and legalize their work. 

Demonstrators are calling for the city to provide these vendors with proper licenses to actually legalize their business. They say that without these permits, they’re constantly being fined by the city. 

Vendors say the city praises them as essential workers but that they’re continuing to get fined without an opportunity to legalize. 

They’re calling on the state legislature to prioritize a bill, S1175/A5081, that would eliminate the states, limit cap on street vendor permits and allow these businesses some relief. 

Many of the business owners turned to street vending after losing their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, but still can’t catch a break.