Eric Garner’s Widow Esaw on Protesters: ‘Keep Fighting for What's Right, to Get Justice’
Moved to tears by visions of throngs of protesters passing her window, Esaw Garner told her son, ‘look at all the love your father's getting.’ In the latest demonstrations, more than 300 people have been arrested. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton on Saturday sent out a department-wide memo praising his officers for conduct during the protests.
BY ERIK BADIA , RICH SCHAPIRO
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:09 PM
Eric Garner's mother was in a car cruising down the West Side Highway last week when a sea of protesters blocked traffic.
Overwhelmed by the sight of so many demonstrators demanding justice for the death of her son, Gwen Carr rolled down her window.
She never expected what happened next. “One fellow recognized me. It was a white guy,” Carr, 65, recalled Saturday.
“He said, ‘There’s Eric Garner’s mother.’ He came over to hug me and everybody else followed.”
“I was so proud of that crowd,” she added. “It just warmed my heart.”
Carr told the moving story Saturday as she and Garner’s loved ones thanked the demonstrators and urged them to keep marching for justice.
Thousands have taken to the streets in New York City and across the country following the Wednesday announcement that NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo dodged criminal charges in Garner’s chokehold death.
“I just want to thank each and every person that’s out there marching,” said Esaw Garner, Eric’s widow, flanked by the Rev. Al Sharpton and filmmaker Spike Lee at the National Action Network’s Harlem headquarters.
“Just keep fighting. Keep fighting for what’s right, to get justice.”
Spike Lee makes an unannounced appearance at NAN Dec. 6.
Like Carr, Esaw Garner has also seen the protests up close.
Twice. The first time came earlier in the week when a swarm of demonstrators marched directly past her home.
“My son woke me up out of my sleep and said, ‘Ma, look out the window; there’s like a thousand people on the street,’ ” she said.
“I see all these people and they’re yelling out, ‘Eric Garner,’ and everything and I’m just like overwhelmed.”
Garner’s widow was moved to tears at the sight of the protesters streaming past her window, prompting her son to ask if she was OK.
“Yeah, I’m OK,” she responded. “But look at all the love your father is getting.”
Days later, Esaw Garner was driving through Lower Manhattan when her path was blocked by protesters. She stepped out of her car, and like Carr, was astonished by the crowd’s reaction.
“They were like, ‘Mrs. Garner, we’re marching for you,’” she recalled.
“I asked them if we could just go through the crowd because I was trying to get home, and they stopped, the protesters, and let my car through. I thought that was just awesome.”
The 43-year-old fatal encounter with the eight-year NYPD vet on July 17 was captured on a video obtained by the Daily News.
The clip shows Pantaleo, 29, restraining Garner, who allegedly was selling loose cigarettes, with a chokehold — a move banned by the NYPD.
Even before Pantaleo was let off the hook by the state, Garner’s death sparked a wave of protests on Staten Island.
In the latest demonstrations, more than 300 people have been arrested. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton on Saturday sent out a department-wide memo praising his officers.
“Despite often being confronted by some agitators in the crowd whose only interest is to provoke you, you have displayed professionalism, patience and restraint,” it reads. “Your conduct has been exemplary.”
The dozens in attendance at the National Action Network erupted in applause when Lee took the stage and urged them to join a national march in Washington next Saturday.
“Let’s make it Chocolate City again!” Lee roared. Sharpton said he hopes the Washington march leads to “legislative relief.”
“We’re going to Washington because we’ve got to clear the air in America,” Sharpton said.
“There’s a mugginess in the air, there’s smog in the air. There’s smog when you can choke a man and go through a grand jury and nobody sees anything wrong.”
 |
| Esaw Garner is the widow of Eric who was killed by NYC police. |
BY ERIK BADIA , RICH SCHAPIRO
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:09 PM
Eric Garner's mother was in a car cruising down the West Side Highway last week when a sea of protesters blocked traffic.
Overwhelmed by the sight of so many demonstrators demanding justice for the death of her son, Gwen Carr rolled down her window.
She never expected what happened next. “One fellow recognized me. It was a white guy,” Carr, 65, recalled Saturday.
“He said, ‘There’s Eric Garner’s mother.’ He came over to hug me and everybody else followed.”
“I was so proud of that crowd,” she added. “It just warmed my heart.”
Carr told the moving story Saturday as she and Garner’s loved ones thanked the demonstrators and urged them to keep marching for justice.
Thousands have taken to the streets in New York City and across the country following the Wednesday announcement that NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo dodged criminal charges in Garner’s chokehold death.
“I just want to thank each and every person that’s out there marching,” said Esaw Garner, Eric’s widow, flanked by the Rev. Al Sharpton and filmmaker Spike Lee at the National Action Network’s Harlem headquarters.
“Just keep fighting. Keep fighting for what’s right, to get justice.”
Spike Lee makes an unannounced appearance at NAN Dec. 6.
Like Carr, Esaw Garner has also seen the protests up close.
Twice. The first time came earlier in the week when a swarm of demonstrators marched directly past her home.
“My son woke me up out of my sleep and said, ‘Ma, look out the window; there’s like a thousand people on the street,’ ” she said.
“I see all these people and they’re yelling out, ‘Eric Garner,’ and everything and I’m just like overwhelmed.”
Garner’s widow was moved to tears at the sight of the protesters streaming past her window, prompting her son to ask if she was OK.
“Yeah, I’m OK,” she responded. “But look at all the love your father is getting.”
Days later, Esaw Garner was driving through Lower Manhattan when her path was blocked by protesters. She stepped out of her car, and like Carr, was astonished by the crowd’s reaction.
“They were like, ‘Mrs. Garner, we’re marching for you,’” she recalled.
“I asked them if we could just go through the crowd because I was trying to get home, and they stopped, the protesters, and let my car through. I thought that was just awesome.”
The 43-year-old fatal encounter with the eight-year NYPD vet on July 17 was captured on a video obtained by the Daily News.
The clip shows Pantaleo, 29, restraining Garner, who allegedly was selling loose cigarettes, with a chokehold — a move banned by the NYPD.
Even before Pantaleo was let off the hook by the state, Garner’s death sparked a wave of protests on Staten Island.
In the latest demonstrations, more than 300 people have been arrested. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton on Saturday sent out a department-wide memo praising his officers.
“Despite often being confronted by some agitators in the crowd whose only interest is to provoke you, you have displayed professionalism, patience and restraint,” it reads. “Your conduct has been exemplary.”
The dozens in attendance at the National Action Network erupted in applause when Lee took the stage and urged them to join a national march in Washington next Saturday.
“Let’s make it Chocolate City again!” Lee roared. Sharpton said he hopes the Washington march leads to “legislative relief.”
“We’re going to Washington because we’ve got to clear the air in America,” Sharpton said.
“There’s a mugginess in the air, there’s smog in the air. There’s smog when you can choke a man and go through a grand jury and nobody sees anything wrong.”
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