NYPD chokehold decision sparks protests
Furious protesters chanting “no justice, no tree!” tried to storm Rockefeller Center on Wednesday to disrupt the annual lighting ceremony following a grand jury’s decision to not indict the NYPD cop who killed Eric Garner.
“F–k the tree!” the mob bellowed as cops held them at bay along Sixth Avenue in front of Radio City Music Hall.
The angry throng attempted to ram their way through a well-fortified police barricade at Sixth Avenue and West 52nd Street about 6:20 p.m. but were pushed back by a sea of blue — but never got near the giant tree.
A police officer stands over activists, demanding justice for the death of Eric Garner, as they stage a ‘die-in’ during rush hour at Grand Central Terminal.Photo: Reuters
“It’s the biggest thing going on in the city tonight, so seemed like a good place to make a statement,” said Nick Connolly, 30, of Brooklyn, one of hundreds of demonstrators who marched up both 5th and 6th avenues to converge on the tree lighting.
“I think it’s disgusting that the NYPD can get away with murder. There’s a double standard with the police and how they can just throw black people in jail, ” said self-described “activist” Alexander Rubinstein, 22, from the Lower East Side.
At 7:20 p.m., cops penned in another mob at West 47th and 6th, threatening them with arrest if they breached the barriers and tried to reach the 8 p.m. tree lighting.
Earlier, dozens of demonstrators swarmed the street outside the Staten Island shop where Garner died, while others staged a rush-hour “die in” at Grand Central Terminal and gathered in Union and Times squares.
Eric Garner’s stepfather Benjamin Carr is escorted to the DA’s office after hearing that there will be no indictment.Photo: Gregory P. Mango
“They should react in an uproar. Just like they failed Ferguson, they failed us,” seethed Heather Ewig, 46, who called Garner a friend and “a teddy bear in the community,” as the crowd started to build on Bay Street in Staten Island.
“You gotta be kidding me!” shouted Linder Hampton, 59, who was wearing a T-shirt with Garner’s last words, “This ends today” and “I can’t breathe.”