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'We push harder': anniversary of Eric Garner's death marked by protests | 'We push harder': anniversary of Eric Garner's death marked by protests |
(about 9 hours later) | |
“I can’t breathe.” | “I can’t breathe.” |
It’s been one year since Eric Garner uttered these words as he was dying on a Staten Island sidewalk, but they continued to echo through New York City on Friday as hundreds of protesters took to the streets in his name. | It’s been one year since Eric Garner uttered these words as he was dying on a Staten Island sidewalk, but they continued to echo through New York City on Friday as hundreds of protesters took to the streets in his name. |
Garner died on 17 July 2014 after being placed in a fatal chokehold by Daniel Pantaleo, an NYPD officer who had accosted Garner for selling loose cigarettes. A grand jury later declined to indict Pantaleo, sparking weeks of protests in New York and intensifying national protests around the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. | Garner died on 17 July 2014 after being placed in a fatal chokehold by Daniel Pantaleo, an NYPD officer who had accosted Garner for selling loose cigarettes. A grand jury later declined to indict Pantaleo, sparking weeks of protests in New York and intensifying national protests around the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. |
Garner’s death was captured on video, and as the images were broadcast around the world his final words became a rallying cry used in protests against police brutality in the United States. | Garner’s death was captured on video, and as the images were broadcast around the world his final words became a rallying cry used in protests against police brutality in the United States. |
On Friday night, as they had so many times before, young people led the march. In a journey that took them over three hours they travelled from Columbus Circle, then south to Herald Square where they held a sit-in and about a dozen were arrested. As they were led away in zip ties the crowd erupted in cheers. | |
“I believe that police should not be hurting us,” Kevin Cintron, a young activist who said he worked with the community organization El Grito de Sunset Park, told the Guardian. | “I believe that police should not be hurting us,” Kevin Cintron, a young activist who said he worked with the community organization El Grito de Sunset Park, told the Guardian. |
“America is a mixing pot, we’re supposed to be together,” said his friend Tatiyana Holland, 20, who had come from New Jersey to join the march. | “America is a mixing pot, we’re supposed to be together,” said his friend Tatiyana Holland, 20, who had come from New Jersey to join the march. |
The New York city police department told the Guardian it could not confirm the number of arrests. A figure would be released on Saturday morning, an NYPD spokesman said. | The New York city police department told the Guardian it could not confirm the number of arrests. A figure would be released on Saturday morning, an NYPD spokesman said. |
As the march snaked through the city streets protestors chanted: “Say his name: Eric Garner. Say his name: Eric Garner.” | As the march snaked through the city streets protestors chanted: “Say his name: Eric Garner. Say his name: Eric Garner.” |
The protesters also took a detour, entering Pennsylvania Station and startling commuters. They banged as they went up and down escalators and danced on one of the platforms chanting Garner’s name. | |
Scene at penn station #ericgarner pic.twitter.com/EVF4UFOEAL | Scene at penn station #ericgarner pic.twitter.com/EVF4UFOEAL |
Among the many chants that the crowd alternated between on Friday night was: “They push back, we push harder. We are doing this for Eric Garner.” | Among the many chants that the crowd alternated between on Friday night was: “They push back, we push harder. We are doing this for Eric Garner.” |
As protesters left Pennsylvania Station and made their way down to Union Square area of New York City, diners at a Chelsea cafe reached out their hands to high-five them as they passed. | As protesters left Pennsylvania Station and made their way down to Union Square area of New York City, diners at a Chelsea cafe reached out their hands to high-five them as they passed. |
One protester, Lori Miller, told the Guardian she’d come from Vermont to commemorate the anniversary of Garner’s death. She said she had visited the site of his death on Staten Island multiple times since last year, including that day. | |
“I bring flowers,” the 56-year-old said. | “I bring flowers,” the 56-year-old said. |
Miller, who had been marching with her sister since early that morning, followed protesters carrying a large water bottle and a folding chair that she used take breaks when they paused for a mic check. | Miller, who had been marching with her sister since early that morning, followed protesters carrying a large water bottle and a folding chair that she used take breaks when they paused for a mic check. |
Related: One year later: Eric Garner’s death led to most active US protests since the 60s | Related: One year later: Eric Garner’s death led to most active US protests since the 60s |
The march came to an end in downtown Manhattan a little after 10pm. Protesters circled up in Union Square for one final mic check before calmly dispersing. | The march came to an end in downtown Manhattan a little after 10pm. Protesters circled up in Union Square for one final mic check before calmly dispersing. |
“This is not the end. We will continue until there is justice, until black lives matter,” the protesters chanted, reiterating that the day’s action was for Eric Garner. | |
At about the same time, a smaller crowd of people marched in Oakland, California to mark one year since Garner died. | At about the same time, a smaller crowd of people marched in Oakland, California to mark one year since Garner died. |
Garner’s is one of the names that have echoed through cities of America as the tragic tally of black men who have died at the hands of police increased over the past year. In 2015 alone 623 people have been killed by law enforcement in the United States, according to data from the Guardian’s The Counted project. Seventy individuals have died at the hands of US police in July. As of 17 July, 165 of those killed this year have been black. | Garner’s is one of the names that have echoed through cities of America as the tragic tally of black men who have died at the hands of police increased over the past year. In 2015 alone 623 people have been killed by law enforcement in the United States, according to data from the Guardian’s The Counted project. Seventy individuals have died at the hands of US police in July. As of 17 July, 165 of those killed this year have been black. |
Since Garner’s death other names have become associated with police brutality in minds of Americans; among them Freddie Gray, Tony Robinson, Walter Scott and 12-year-old Tamir Rice. | Since Garner’s death other names have become associated with police brutality in minds of Americans; among them Freddie Gray, Tony Robinson, Walter Scott and 12-year-old Tamir Rice. |
One young man climbed up on the railing in front of a sandwich shop and yelled, “Say her name.” The crowd answered back: “Sandra Bland” referring to a black woman who was arrested in Texas on Friday 10 July and was later found dead in her cell. | One young man climbed up on the railing in front of a sandwich shop and yelled, “Say her name.” The crowd answered back: “Sandra Bland” referring to a black woman who was arrested in Texas on Friday 10 July and was later found dead in her cell. |
Related: The Texas county where Sandra Bland died: there's 'racism from cradle to grave' | Related: The Texas county where Sandra Bland died: there's 'racism from cradle to grave' |
Even as hundreds of people took to the streets in New York City, Garner’s mother Gwen Carr was joined by mothers of other people who have died at the hands of US police – among them Lesley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown, and Constance Malcolm, mother of Ramarley Graham. They gathered at the House of Lord church in Brooklyn to hold a vigil for Garner. | |
On Saturday the mothers will join the Rev Al Sharpton to petition the US justice department to demand expedited federal investigations into Garner’s and Graham’s deaths. They will also call for a justice system reform and police accountability. | |
Without accountability and consequences little would change, police reform advocates said on Friday. “Police brutality and discriminatory policing are what killed Eric Garner, and neither restraining nor ‘neighborhood policing’ will address this issue. This isn’t about police-community relations, it’s about stopping policing that abuses and brutalizes New Yorkers,” said Priscilla Gonzales, spokeswoman for Communities United for Police Reform. | |
“Real reform comes with accountability and an end to abusive, discriminatory broken windows policing that targets our communities.” | “Real reform comes with accountability and an end to abusive, discriminatory broken windows policing that targets our communities.” |
The New York City Liberties Union joined the calls for a “culture shift” within the NYPD and accountability. The organization is leading the legal effort to release the records from the Staten Island grand jury that failed to indict the officer who put Garner in chokehold. | The New York City Liberties Union joined the calls for a “culture shift” within the NYPD and accountability. The organization is leading the legal effort to release the records from the Staten Island grand jury that failed to indict the officer who put Garner in chokehold. |
Donna Lieberman, NYCLU’s executive director, said: “We need real transparency and accountability so police officers no longer believe they can act without consequences.” | Donna Lieberman, NYCLU’s executive director, said: “We need real transparency and accountability so police officers no longer believe they can act without consequences.” |