Growing Demonstrations Over Decision to Clear NYPD Cop in Chokehold Death Thursday Dec 04,2014

 

The protest chaos that has enveloped New York City in the wake of the grand jury decision in Eric Garner's chokehold death has spun off into cities nationwide.

Videotaped Chokehold

 

A video shot by an onlooker and widely viewed on the Internet showed the 43-year-old Garner telling a group of police officers to leave him alone as they tried to arrest him.

 

Daniel Pantaleo responded by wrapping his arm around Garner's neck in an apparent chokehold, which is banned under NYPD policy. The heavyset Garner, who had asthma, was heard repeatedly gasping, "I can't breathe!''

A second video surfaced that showed police and paramedics appearing to make no effort to revive Garner while he lay motionless on the ground. He later died at a hospital.
The medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide and found that a chokehold contributed to it.

As with Michael Brown's death in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson, the Garner case sparked accusations of racist policing and calls for federal prosecutors to intervene.

US President Barack Obama said the grand jury decision underscores the need to strengthen the trust and accountability between communities and law enforcement.

The US Justice Department will conduct a federal investigation into Eric Garner's death, US Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Wednesday evening.

The New York Police Department(NYPD) also is doing an internal probe which could lead to administrative charges against Daniel Pantaleo, who remains on desk duty.

Demonstrations appeared Thursday Dec 04,2014 from Washington to Seattle to Atlanta to Oakland a day after a Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo for his role in Eric Garner's July 17,2014 death.

From the White House to the streets of some of America's biggest cities, the New York case converged with the Ferguson shooting and investigations out of South Carolina and Cleveland to stir a national conversation about racial justice and police use of force.

Protesters make their move falling to the ground on the White House perimeter in Washington, DC

Thousands of protestors sit down on the Charlestown Bridge, blocking traffic into Downtown Boston

People march over the Brooklyn Bridge Thursday night carrying coffins made to represent those of victims of police brutality or unwarranted killings.The bridge was shut down as thousands poured over it on their march out of Manhattan and into Brooklyn

The demonstrators carry  mock coffins bearing the names of victims of fatal police encounters as they cross the eastbound traffic lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge

 Thousands convened at Lower Manhattan's Foley Square on Thursday night to demonstrate their fury over the grand jury decision in Eric Garner's chokehold case

 The dense demonstration was bigger and potentially better choreographed than those which emerged just after the grand jury decision on Wednesday not to indict Eric Garner's killer, NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo

 

Protesters hold signs in Atlanta on Thursday Dec 04,2014 as protests spread across America