Home Depot vs. day laborers? Hundreds join in solidarity to protest at New Rochelle store

Around 500 people gathered at the Home Depot store in New Rochelle around 11 a.m. Thursday, accompanied by a band, to protest what activists are calling a ban on day laborers congregating there. The Home Depot corporation denied such a ban exists, citing a "longstanding" policy prohibiting solicitation.

According to protest organizer Nadia Marin-Molina, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, the rally was held in support of day laborers and their right to make purchases at the New Rochelle Home Depot location while seeking work outside. It was the third, and largest, demonstration so far related to ongoing tensions between the store and the local day laborer community.

Previous events include a protest in April and a press conference in May. Those actions, organized by NDLON and the United Community Center of Westchester, took place outside the New Rochelle store after activists said it added a policy preventing day laborers from entering the store and waiting in the parking lot while seeking work.

Facebook video of the demonstration included a speech by one of the activists: "Compañeros y compañeras..." The man begins. "Hoy, entregamos un mensaje muy poderoso, a una corporación multinacional más grande del mundo." The rough translation: "Friends ... Today we deliver a powerful message to one of the largest, multinational corporations in the world."

Jackeline Agudelo, executive director of UCCW, said their message to Home Depot was to "stop the harassment and arrests, ask the city to drop unfounded charges against targeted day laborers and meet directly with the workers committee of UCCW."

Agudelo said the group of organizers delivered a letter with their demands to the store manager.

"The floor manager, she didn't want to take it with her hand," Agudelo said. "So I had to drop it under their door."

Story continues after gallery.

Read more 'Home Depot will have to listen': Advocates denounce day laborer arrests in New Rochelle

The scene on Weyman Avenue

According to Marin-Molina and Agudelo, hundreds of protestors from across the country arrived at the New Rochelle store on buses Thursday morning.

The crowd split up, with one group entering first from the left doors and the other group entering from the right. They were also accompanied by a band, Agudelo said.

The scene was clear by 1 p.m. Thursday.

Home Depot vs. day laborers?

Tensions between day laborers and the New Rochelle Home Depot, store No. 1245, have been building since earlier this year.

As previously reported by The Journal News/lohud, the Home Depot corporation denies there is a ban on day laborers. The corporation said in April, "Like many businesses in the community, we have a non-solicitation policy at our stores," noting that loitering is also prohibited.

Agudelo said that during that time period the store increased its patrol of its parking lot with security officers and dogs. These security practices were confirmed by photographs.

In April, organizers said the store arrested a man for trespassing, allegedly for entering the store to use its bathroom. That sparked a protest the afternoon of April 6.

Organizers said the store arrested another man for trespassing on April 26, this time, allegedly for stepping onto the property's grass. That sparked the press conference on May 8.

Two trespassing arrests, on April 6 and 26, were confirmed in police reports obtained by The Journal News/lohud through FOIL requests to the New Rochelle Police Department. The reports contained no details about the incidents leading up to the arrests.

New Rochelle mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert issued a statement by email in response to the protest through the city's communications and marketing manager, Kathy Gilwit: "This is an important issue to all of us, and we are working with all involved to bring the matter to a resolution."

Home Depot responds to Thursday protest in New Rochelle

The New Rochelle Home Depot store redirected a request for comment to the Home Depot corporation Thursday, which issued a statement in response to the action.

“Like many businesses, we have a longstanding no-solicitation policy," said Beth Marlowe, spokesperson for the Home Depot corporation. "Our top priority is the safety of our associates and customers, and we invest significant resources in making sure they can work and shop safely in our stores."

Marlowe said that the New Rochelle Home Depot store has "received complaints from customers and associates being made to feel unsafe, bullied, and fearful by unwelcome solicitation and other activities, unsanitary conditions created by people using our bathrooms and facilities other than as intended, and escalating crime."

"We took action to enhance safety and security and to improve the shopping and working environment for our customers and associates," Marlowe said.

Lohud's Mark Vergari and Ashley Fontones contributed to this report.

Samantha Antrum is the community news and outreach reporter for The Journal News/lohud. She reports on cultural and social justice issues and events. You can reach her at santrum@lohud.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle NY rally for day laborers held by activists at Home Depot