Tamika D. Mallory Interrupts DNC Debate To Protest Eric Garner’s Death, Demands Police Officer Be Fired

Tamika D. Mallory Interrupts DNC Debate To Protest Eric Garner’s Death, Demands Police Officer Be Fired

Those who tuned in to the second night of the Democratic National Convention debate Wednesday heard shouts and screams from the crowd as Senator Cory Booker gave his statements.

Cory Booker

The protestors shouted,

“Fire Pantaleo!”

While it happened during Booker’s moment, the protestors were coming for another man in the lineup, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who’s also running for President. Protestors called for de Blasio to fire Daniel Pantaleo, the White police officer accused of putting a Black man, Eric Garner in a chokehold in 2014, a method that is banned for police. The move resulted in Garner’s death. Pantaleo said he used a different method called the “seat belt” and is still an officer in the city.

Activist Tamika D. Mallory was one of the protestors and spoke out about it on Twitter.

#FirePantaleo thank you @TamikaDMallory @Mysonne pic.twitter.com/6HvlTJI0yj

— Quentin James (@QJames) August 1, 2019

She wrote,

We could not sit silent while @NYCMayor Bill DeBlasio misrepresented his positions on Stop and Frisk and continues to employ the police officers who killed #EricGarner, in particular Daniel Pantaleo.”

“We chanted “Fire Pantaleo” after he concluded and it was over. We went back to enjoying the debate. A security officer came over to us and said as long as you stay quiet you can remain.”

“Then minutes later after multiple candidates spoke, a police officer came over & showed us his cuffs & said if we didn’t leave we’d be arrested. We stayed seated and then they forcibly removed us. We chanted “Fire Pantaleo” & “I can’t breathe” as we were being removed”

She also made it clear they did not interrupt Booker. 

“We did NOT interrupt @corybooker, it was the Detroit Police Department that interrupted Booker and the debate to intimidate peaceful protesters for standing up for the dignity of Black life that had already completed protest minutes ago. This is our right. We won’t be silent.”

What are your thoughts on the protest? Tell us in the comments!