The senseless 2014 death of 43-year-old Black father Eric Garner at the hands of the NYPD is still a fresh memory for many as the country continues to deal with the police brutality epidemic plaguing Black communities, but none have felt the devastating effects of his absence more than his family.
Activist Erica Garner is the oldest of her late father’s 5 children, who has been consistently pursuing justice for Black lives since his death, and she had a few unfiltered words for NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio earlier this week. Citing a questionable law that the NYPD claims has been in effect for years, the city recently announced that disciplinary actions — or lack thereof– taken against police officers would no longer be public record. In light of the department deciding to now uphold the policy, the officer responsible for placing Eric Garner in the chokehold that ultimately took his life will now have his disciplinary records sealed to the public as well. Although DeBlasio has reportedly expressed that he wants to release the records but can’t because of the law, Erica says she expected much more of a lawmaker with an African-American wife. She took to social media to call him out for failing to fight for Black lives with a scathing series of tweets.
Just cause you love Black pussy don't mean you love Black lives… cc @BilldeBlasio
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) September 8, 2016
Cuomo and De Blasio can only agree one one thing and that is covering up this modern day lynching by their henchman! https://t.co/LIWmYCCpwe
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) September 8, 2016
Pointing out that De Blasio is also raising a Black son, Erica later said that she felt he of all people would do more to see to it that justice is served in cases of police brutality against African-Americans.
The thing that kills me is that De Blasio is raising a Black man..This is the example… My dad lays down and rolls over for white supremacy
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) September 8, 2016
Like I would think De Blasio of ANYONE would go to the mattresses for justice for Black people..I shoulda learned from Thomas Jefferon…
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) September 8, 2016
Although De Blasio himself has declined to comment on Erica’s tweets, NYC Governor Andrew Cuomo has noted that the controversial law has always been what it is now. “The law hasn’t changed,” Cuomo said, according to the NYDN. “Many, many years the NYPD disclosed the information. The NYPD now looks at the law and makes a different determination.”
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Eric Garner died one hour after NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo tackled him to the ground in a chokehold and ignored Garner when he repeated the phrase, “I can’t breathe” 11 times during the arrest. A grand jury ultimately decided not to indict Pantaleo in December of 2014.