The streets of Manhattan became a stage for a deliberate act of public mourning when dozens of demonstrators lay still on the pavement outside an unmarked office in the Flatiron District. Organized by ACT UP, the action used a choreographed die-in to dramatize what organizers described as the human cost of current federal budget choices. Protesters gathered first at the New York City AIDS Memorial and then marched together to the building that houses a company known for its surveillance technology and contracts with immigration enforcement agencies.
The event also served as a commemoration: participants marked the organization’s 39th anniversary with a public demonstration intended to link priorities in federal spending to outcomes for people living with HIV. Organizers framed the die‑in as both a memorial and a call to action, insisting that policy decisions about ICE, military operations and health programs are interdependent and must be debated in public, not only in budget hearings and closed offices.
Demands and policy context
At the heart of the protest was a critique of shifting budget priorities. Organizers pointed to efforts in Congress to reduce federal support for HIV care by hundreds of millions of dollars while simultaneously directing large increases to enforcement and military activities. They noted, for example, that funding for ICE has seen tens-of-billions increases and that more than $12 billion was allocated to operations tied to the U.S. conflict with Iran. Protest leaders argued these choices reflect a national direction that prioritizes war spending and private profit over public health and social programs.
The role of Palantir and surveillance
Organizers singled out Palantir because of the company’s role as a contractor that supplies data systems and tools used by immigration authorities. Demonstrators connected the company’s work to broader concerns about how surveillance technology can shape who is policed, detained or prioritized for services. For activists, targeting a private contractor made a policy point: government budgets and private-sector contracts combine to produce real-world consequences for vulnerable populations, including people living with HIV.
Symbols, memory and movement strategy
The die-in format — a protest technique in which participants lie still to represent lives lost — was chosen for its visual and emotional weight. Organizers emphasized the continuity of tactics and memory: the method recalls AIDS activism from the 1980s and keeps public attention on those losses. Protesters also paid tribute to individuals who had long campaigned for access to medicines, notably honoring activist Mark Milano, who died in January after decades of advocacy. Speakers described his work as emblematic of a fight to ensure global access to treatment.
Why in-person action still matters
Leaders argued that despite advances in treatment, physical demonstrations retain strategic value. One organizer noted that improved medical options can reduce the visceral urgency younger people feel to take personal risks for activism, which makes visible, in-person actions important to sustain pressure. Another veteran activist highlighted ACT UP’s methodology: the group researches concrete policy solutions, presents targeted demands, and insists on achievable outcomes rather than broad platitudes. That disciplined approach, they said, sets ACT UP apart from less focused protests.
Looking ahead: organizing and the political calendar
Organizers presented Saturday’s action as part of an ongoing campaign rather than a single event. They urged voters to understand the links between budget choices and everyday health outcomes as they head to the polls, noting the influence of federal priorities on local services. One activist framed the coming electoral contests as moments when voters can choose candidates who back robust public health programs, oppose expanded immigration enforcement budgets, and resist policies that favor military contractors over health care investments. The statement from the organizers emphasized continued street-level advocacy alongside voter engagement.
The reporting on this demonstration was produced as part of the Future of Queer Media fellowship program at The Advocate, supported by a gift from Morrison Media Group. That program aims to nurture the next generation of LGBTQ+ journalists and bring attention to the intersections of health, civil liberties and policy that shaped the day’s action.