March and rally on Staten Island mark 10 years since death of Eric Garner

It's been 10 years since an NYPD officer applied the unauthorized chokehold that took the life of Eric Garner.

People gathered for a march and rally in the St. George section of Staten Island on Wednesday afternoon.

They walked from Staten Island Borough Hall about half a mile to Tompkinsville Park to where Garner was killed.

They then spent the day celebrating his life. His mother said the day wasn't about protest -- but it was about remembering her son's life.

"I still want to bring up about keeping my son's name relevant because he should not have died that day, he still should be here talking to you today," Gwen Carr said.

The fatal interaction on Staten Island all started after police officer confronted Garner for selling loose cigarettes.

His final words, "I can't breathe," became an outcry against police brutality in New York City and across the country as millions demanded change in use of force by police.

The year he died, in 2014, the Civilian Complaint Review Board received 244 allegations of unlawful chokeholds by police officers. And by 2020 that number dropped to 107 claims.

However, today there are new concerns over use of force as the number of claims rose to 230 in 2023.

The officer who applied the unauthorized chokehold was Daniel Pantaleo. His death was ruled a homicide, but a grand jury refused to indict Pantaleo and anyone else who was at the scene. Five years later, Pantaleo was kicked off the police force.

"I want to see more accountability when there's wrongdoing, although we know that the police have a tough job, but when they have one and you have those bad apples in the police department, we have to get rid of them because we don't want to see another innocent citizens get hurt," Carr said.

A family friend of the Garners, who used to be an NYPD detective, says the events 10 years ago were simply unnecessary and senseless.

"For a cigarette bust, that was senseless, they shouldn't lean on anyone's chest, arrest him accordingly with handcuffs," said Angenette Pinkston.

Mayor Eric Adams said he remembers Garner's death like it happened yesterday -- and that he prays there will never be another situation like it again.

ALSO READ | Marking 10 years since Eric Garner's death at the hands of NYC police

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