Protests erupted throughout New York City Wednesday in reaction to a grand jury’s decision not to indict a while police officer in the chokehold death of an unarmed black man in July.
In an incident captured by a pedestrian on his smartphone video recorder, 43-year-old Eric Garner was arguing with several New York city police officers who were arresting him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes. After several minutes, Officer Daniel Pantaleo grabbed Garner from behind in a chokehold and forced him to the sidewalk.
The heavyset Garner, who had asthma, was heard repeatedly gasping, “I can’t breathe!” The medical examiner ruled Garner’s death a homicide as a result of the chokehold, a procedure which was banned by the New York Police Department in 1993.
Scores of people marched through the city’s iconic Times Square hours after the decision not to indict was announced. The large crowds prompted police to block access to nearby Rockefeller Plaza, where a traditional Christmas tree lighting ceremony was scheduled to take place.
On the sidewalk near where Garner died, one woman responded to the grand jury decision with disbelief.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. They didn’t indict him? Why, where’s the justice at?” she asked.
New York-area lawmakers also responded with anger.
“What more does America need to see to understand that we’ve got a problem in this country as it relates to the relationship between police and communities of color, which far too often results in the death of innocent unarmed African Americans such as Eric Garner?” said Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.
Dozens of protesters lay on the floor of Grand Central Terminal and staged a silent so-called “die-in” demonstration.
“People have to know that people care and it’s not okay. This is New York and what happens in other states, it can’t happen here,” said Raquel Griffin, one of the protesters.
Passersby had mixed reactions.
“I don’t understand how that is a protest. They’re bothering other people from getting home,” said one bystander.
“There’s clear-cut evidence that he was in the wrong, and he should be going to jail,” said another.
“It is very upsetting that the officer wasn’t indicted. But as a black female, I didn’t expect the officer to be indicted. And that’s sad to say,” a third said.
Justice investigation
The U.S. Justice Department says it will investigate whether Eric Garner’s civil rights were violated when Officer Daniel Pantaleo put him in a chokehold while arresting him on suspicion of a minor crime. New York’s medical examiner said Garner’s death shortly after the arrest was due to chest compression, and ruled it a homicide.
“Mr. Garner’s death is one of several recent incidents across our great country that have tested the sense of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities they are charged to serve and to protect,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, announcing the investigation.
The decision not to indict Daniel Pantaleo comes less than two weeks after a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, declined to indict a white officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager during a street confrontation.
Pantaleo issued a statement Wednesday saying he “felt very bad about the death of Mr. Garner” and never attempted to hurt anyone.
Garner’s widow angrily rejected the officer’s apology during a news conference with civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton.
“Hell no. The time for remorse would have been when my husband was yelling to breathe. That would have been the time for him to show some type of remorse, or some type of care for another human being’s life. When he was screaming 11 times that he can’t breathe. So there’s nothing that him, or his prayers, or anything else would make me feel any different,” said Garner.
President Barack Obama reacted swiftly to the grand jury decision, saying it underscores the frustrations many African-Americans feel “that law enforcement is not working with them and dealing with them in a fair way.”
“And in some cases those may be misperceptions but in some cases that’s a reality, and it is incumbent on all of us as Americans, regardless of race, region, faith, that we recognize this is an American problem and not just a black problem or a brown problem or a Native American problem; this is an American problem. When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that’s a problem. And it’s my job as President to help solve it,” said Obama.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called this a “deeply emotional day” for the Garner family and all New Yorkers, acknowledging that many people do not agree with the grand jury’s decision.
VOA correspondent Carolyn Weaver contributed to this report from New York.
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