New York Mayor Bill de Blasio didn’t attend an event marking the third anniversary of the death of Eric Garner, whose death at the hands of an NYPD officer who put him in a chokehold sparked protests against police brutality across the nation using his last words as a rallying cry: “I can’t breathe.”
De Blasio defended his decision as one made so as “not to continue to take us backwards.” But people weren’t having it.
Garner’s daughter, Erica Garner, in particular called out his absence.
–Erica Garner shreds mayor: ‘Just cause you love Black p–y don’t mean you love Black lives’–
“This year I’m coming for his neck!” she tweeted. “He is attempting to sell out Black lives in exchange favor in Staten Island. 3 of every 5 cops live there.”
“Why DeBlasio is MIA this year?” she continued. “I’m sure he is looking to get in front of the family and say All lives matter again.”
This year I’m coming for his neck! He is attempting to sell out Black lives in exchange favor in Staten Island. 3 of every 5 cops live there https://t.co/Nh7UftyeSb
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 17, 2017
Someone ask @TheRevAl why DeBlasio is MIA this year? I’m sure he is looking to get in front of the family and say All lives matter again.
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 17, 2017
De Blasio later addressed her tweets when he made his weekly appearance with Errol Louis on NY1.
“That’s a family that’s gone through a lot of pain, and nothing I can say is going to take away that pain,” he said. “But what I’ve done each year is talked about what the tragedy meant and what we’re trying to do to change this city and change the relationship between police and community.”