Protests for Eric Garner continued for a sixth night in New York City, prompting a crowd to hold a die-in at Barclay’s Center during a Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game. The demonstration coincided with a visit from British royalty Prince William and Kate Middleton, creating a surreal scene.
Outside, protesters outside chanted, ““I can’t breathe” and “Shut it down!” as police arrested “large numbers,” reports the Brooklyn Eagle. Meanwhile, inside sat the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who had planned their trip months ago to celebrate the NBA’s partnership with their charity, the Royal Foundation. They even hooked up with Brooklyn royalty Jay Z and Beyoncé at the court.
It was the players on the court, like LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Kyrie Irving and Deron Williams, ESPN reports, who connected the two disparate worlds. During the pre-game warm-ups, they wore black T-shirts with white lettering that read, “I Can’t Breathe,” Garner’s last words.
People have taken to the streets across the nation to demand justice for Garner — who died from a prohibited chokehold at the hands of an NYPD officer who was not indicted — and several other unarmed black men killed by cops recently, including Mike Brown in Missouri and Akai Gurley in East New York.
(Photo: Keegan Stephan)
