On the eve of New York Climate Week, activists and members of the public gathered in the city to protest the financial institutions that they claim are "profiting" off the climate crisis and wars.

Thousands of activists marched down Park Avenue on Saturday and turned down Billionaires' Row toward Trump Tower under the banner of “Make Billionaires Pay”.

The crowd stretched for over four city blocks and passed by luxury stores like Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany & Co.

Some protesters carried enormous paper-mache puppets of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.

At the end of the march, protesters held a five-minute moment of silence during which they sat in front of the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

Their signs and reasons for taking to the streets were diverse, from climate justice, democracy, free speech, gender equality, a stop to the U.S. government's immigration crackdown and a ceasefire in Gaza.

But many said the march highlighted a common theme behind the issues they stood for: that a small, elite class of the wealthy and powerful consistently prioritized profits over people's lives.

Demonstrations have been planned around the world this week ahead of the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week.

Despite years of international conferences, negotiations and treaties, countries have continued to increase their emissions of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, fueling more frequent and intense extreme weather events.

Last year was the hottest year on record, and the U.S. administration has been working to roll back foundational environmental rules.

AP Video shot by Aron Ranen