NEW YORK - Parents and students came out in force Saturday afternoon to protest any possible school closures.

Organizers say they put together this rally in Foley Square in less than a day.

Protesters say if restaurants and gyms can remain open so can city schools.

"The Mayor and the Governor are sticking to this line that this 3% number was negotiated with the a parents. We are the parents! Right? We are the people who sent their kids to school. Not a single person here agrees with arbitrary 3% cutoff,” said protester Daniela Jampel. “The safest place for our children to be is at a desk, six feet apart, wearing a mask, getting their education.”

• Cuomo Suggests City Change Threshold for Closing Schools

New York Times Writer Eliza Shapiro says Cuomo will continue to leave it to local districts to make calls about when to open and close, and would propose a mandate if the positivity rate reaches 9 percent.

Again, the mayor said Friday New Yorkers should be prepared for schools to close as early as Monday, if the positivity rate goes up this weekend.