Protests in New York After Police Officer Not Indicted in Chokehold Death | WPN World People News

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.

Scores of people marched through the city's iconic Times Square hours after the decision 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. 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.

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.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced late Wednesday that he is opening a federal civil rights investigation into Garner’s death, a move that Garner’s family and activists have called for in recent months.

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.

Source: Voice of America