A New York City grand jury’s decision not to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner, who was unarmed as he was put in a chokehold while being arrested earlier this year, prompted more protesting in Washington, D.C.
For several hours, protesters marched in and around Dupont Circle in Northwest, even blocking traffic from entering the circle for some time and chanting, "I can't breathe" and "No justice, no peace."
"I actually support them, I don't have any problem," a driver said, echoing the beliefs of many others in the area.
They headed toward Adams Morgan, and just before 10 p.m. marched south to downtown. The gathering stayed mostly peaceful, and marchers dispersed about an hour later.
Hundreds also gathered to march and pray along King Street in Alexandria, Virginia.
"As a parent, I'm very disturbed," Shonne Williams said. "We're out here rallying in a peaceful manner."
Meanwhile, Rev. Al Sharpton appeared in a news conference with Garner's family Wednesday evening, and announced he's helping plan a protest in D.C. Saturday, Dec. 13.
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Earlier in the evening, a group of demonstrators moved from the White House to Union Station, causing rolling street closures, according to D.C. police. The demonstrators planned to meet with Howard University students at Union Station.
About 6:30 p.m. protesters blocked traffic at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and 16th Street and H Street in northwest D.C., chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” News4’s Darcy Spencer reported.
This follows several days of demonstrations against a grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August. Those demonstrations included “die-ins” and blocking rush hour traffic.
“What it’s about is that black lives matter,” protester Vann Newkirk said. “It’s about the no indictment of Eric Garner’s killer; it’s about the no indictment of Darren Wilson.”
In the Garner case, amateur video shows NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo wrapping his hand around Garner's neck July 17 as the heavyset, asthmatic man gasped for air.
