Eric Garner Protest Peaceful; Dallas Police Keep Marchers off I-35 This Time

By Stephen Young Fri., Dec. 5 2014 at 10:22 AM

Stephen Young

Protesters march down Commerce Street Thursday night.

For the second week in a row, demonstrators took to Dallas streets to protest an out-of-state grand jury's decision not to indict a white police officer for killing an unarmed black man. Unlike last week, Dallas police blocked off access to Interstate 35 and kept demonstrators from closing the freeway.

Thursday's protest was against a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to indict New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo for choking Eric Garner to death. Pantaleo killed the 43-year-old Garner while arresting him for selling loose cigarettes.

Last week's protest, in which demonstrators temporarily shut down I-35, concerned a a St. Louis grand jury vote not to indict Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson for shooting and killing Mike Brown.

Thursday's march began at Dallas Police Headquarters on Lamar Street and included about 250 people at its largest. They wended their way through downtown from the Cedars, eventually getting as far as the American Airlines Center before turning around and heading back through downtown. Cops blocked downtown entrances to the freeway throughout. At about 9:25 p.m., police shut down the roadway as a precaution, but it was reopened less than 15 minutes later.

.@DallasPD created a blockade in Dealey Plaza as protesters tried to go thru the grassy knoll to get on I-35E. pic.twitter.com/crCVppbuZe
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) December 5, 2014

Despite interactions between protesters and cops being overwhelmingly peaceful, the Dallas Police Department made five arrests for obstructing a passageway of highway, a Class B misdemeanor punishable with a maximum fine of $2,000 and as much as six months in jail.

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DonkeyHotay topcommenter

More proof that Cops are Lowlife Cowardly Homicidal Scum.

ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul topcommenter

Let's leave out the inconvenient truth that a police supervisor was present during the arrest and the police supervisor is African-American.

In the meantime, I recommend following the suggestions given in this short educational film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR465HoCWFQ

noblefurrtexas topcommenter

While I don't normally join protest marches, mostly because I consider them rent-a-crowd nuisances, this is one I'd probably join. I am stunned that actual police officers, who are supposed to be of average intelligence or better, delivered the death penalty to a guy selling cigarettes.

The one think Brown and Garner proved, is that smoking kills. But, they also stand as poster children for "NEVER resist arrest".

That said, the officers in the Garner case seem to have acted in reckless abandon, especially seeing the physical condition of their target. He was grossly obese, which is a marker for asthma, high blood pressure, and heart disease. He was also not someone police should have wrestled to the ground using a choke hold.

I normally support the police in these matters. But, this one has me seriously concerned about today's police and their habitual procedures.

JFPO

I'm officially sick of you posting this because you don't understand satire. May I respctfully offer this rebuttal preceded by a question: how do you stay alive when you've just committed murder and resist arrest by brandishing a knife on the arresting officer? Continue to be white, of course.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/01/son-arrested-mother-found-dead-arrows-in-head/19740693/

mavdog topcommenter

@ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul

Let's leave out the inconvenient truth that a police supervisor was present during the arrest and the police supervisor is African-American.

why would it matter that this supervisor was there? or that he is black?

the long and short is a person was killed, I'll go so far as saying he was murdered, by the police. and there is no criminal charge against the policeman, or anyone else responsible for the injustice done.

I read an outstanding column this week on the subject of how police deal with individuals differently, I invite others to read if they missed it: Leonard Pitts Jr.: An understanding of white privilege is only two clicks away

noblefurrtexas topcommenter

@mavdog @ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul There is no such thing as "white privilege". That's just another racial myth to keep ignorant blacks stirred up and envious.

Most "privileges" enjoyed by white people they or their family worked for. White people are in a drastic minority when it comes to getting government benefits.

Trayvon Martin's incident had nothing to do with race. Michael Brown's incident had nothing to do with race. And, this most recent incident in NYC has nothing to do with race. And NONE of it had to do with racial profiling or white privilege.

Ever notice that Holder and Obama jump on every mantra about racism, and they are ALWAYS wrong!

Race relations and a number of other situations will be so much better when Obama has been consigned to the degrading history and a legacy he alone earned.

ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul topcommenter

@mavdog @ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul

Mav, I am complaining about the charges of racism. After all, this is being presented in the media about white racism, not police brutality.

The fact is, there was a police supervisor present, specifically of the Lt. rank and this supervisor did nothing, thereby tacitly agreeing that the officers were acting within the boundaries set by NYPD procedures.

Further, from the videos that I saw, Garner appeared to be resisting arrest and it took several police officers to take him to the ground.

Also note that Garner was selling individual cigarettes. This is why Garner was being arrested. This is a practice banned under NYC ordinance. The Democrat Mayor made it a priority to reduce this activity in order to increase tax revenues by increasing the sales of single packs of cigarettes. What a pissant reason for arresting someone.

noblefurrtexas topcommenter

@ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul @mavdog I have to agree. The "crime" is a low-ranking misdemeanor, and hardly worth the time of one police officer - much less THREE police officers and a supervisor.

To add insult to injury, Obama had to shoot his big mouth off about this as though it was a racial matter. Holder, of course, followed suit from his "special friend".

These insulting clowns won't be out of our hair too soon.

mavdog topcommenter

@ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul

As for the event having an element of racism, did you read the Pitts column I mentioned? It speaks to this undercurrent, and the fact that a Super who is black is present doesn't remove this issue.

I've read the statements from the widow, from the kids, and what they are seeking is justice. Their husband, their father has been killed, and I'll go so far as to say he was murdered, and there is no justice.

If you saw videos and believe that Garner was in any way responsible for what happened, I just don't understand. Garner did not fight the officers, he was NEVER a threat. The defense of the officer saying he did not put a chokehold on Garner is absurd if one looks at the video.

I know that Garner was being arrested for selling cigarettes...is that a crime sufficient for the death penalty? for the death penalty is what the police did to this person, all for selling cigarettes!