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Syracuse Advocacy Groups Add Their Voices of Support for Eric Garner

Scott Willis

  For the second time in two weeks, members of a wide-array of community advocacy groups gathered Friday in front of the Syracuse Federal Building to peacefully protest the lack of chargesagainst white police officer, Daniel Panatelo, for the July killing of unarmed black man, Eric Garner.

A Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict  Pantaleo in the choking death of Garner, who was allegedly selling loose cigarettes.  Officer Panatelo testified he did not intend to choke Garner.

From marches to "die-ins," demonstrations regarding this case, the shooting of Michael Brown, and general race-relations in the United States (particularly related to the police and the judicial system) have also been occurring across the nation over the past several days  in cities such as New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Boston.  

Credit Scott Willis
Rallies relating to race relations in the United States continue to be held all over the country and on social media.

  The National Action Networkplans to launch a trip to Washington, D.C.  Dec. 13.  People also continue to organize and speak out on all of these topics  through social media, using hashtags such as "BlackLivesMatter" and "NoJusticeNoPeace." 

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.