News

Rev. Sharpton is joined by Gwen Carr, Local Officials & Protestors in March for Justice for George Floyd

(Staten Island, NY) — Rev. Sharpton, NAN, and Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, were joined by hundreds of marchers who came out to Staten Island, to honor the life of George Floyd. The prayer vigil began on the corner of Victory and Bay Street, where Eric Garner was choked to death by a police officer six years prior.

After Rev. Sharpton let the prayer vigil, and Gwen Carr spoke, the crowd marched along Bay Street to the front of the NYPD 120th Precinct station house. Amongst the marchers present were City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. As the protestors arrived at the station house they called out for the arrest of the four officers involved in George Floyd’s killing.

Only Derek Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on George Floyd’s neck, has been arrested — for third degree murder. Until all four officers are prosecuted, and Chauvin is charged with murder in the first degree, NAN is committed to fighting for justice for the Floyd family & and as always, to rallying against the repeated, currently sanctioned violence against black people by police officers.

The vigil and march were held in the non-violent spirit of civil-rights activists like Dr. Martin Luther King. Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, spoke to the marchers on the sidewalk where her son was choked. She insisted that though their protests will remain peaceful, “we must stand vigilant and strong, harness our anger to get to where we are going.”