As thousands of protesters take to the streets of Manhattan, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and other U.S. cities, even more supporters are making their voices heard on social media, over the outrage of the grand jury's decision not to indict Daniel Pantaleo, who was captured on video holding Eric Garner in a chokehold which lead to his death.
The hashtag #ICantBreathe is an echo of Garner's last words being shouted by protesters on the streets and is also used on social media to declare solidarity to demand justice for the death of yet another African American due to the over-use of force by a police officer.
Many who are joining the protest on twitter are saying the time is ripe for a revolution to occur because of the way they see the judicial system beginning to fail to protect victims.
I've been reading history. Typically if the judiciary fails the people, thats usually the point of revolution. Don't fail. #IcantBreathe
— flying shiny toaster (@deanprocter) Dec. 5, 2014
Many are drawing the inevitable connections to other high-profile deaths of African Americans in the news like Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, saying that the fight is for all Americans, not just the Black community.
You don't need to be a black American to know what is happening across America is wrong and needs to change! #Ferguson #ICantBreathe — Aly (@_aaally) Dec. 5, 2014
Even internet celebrities are joining the call for justice, encouraging protesters to continue the fight for what they believe is right.
Props to everyone out protesting right now. you are the people we need #ICantBreathe
— Michael Clifford (@Michael5SOS) Dec. 5, 2014
Many who are still shocked and saddened by the grand jury's decision are using the hashtag to remind people of the rights that Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. fought for and yet, racism is still prevalent.
I guess we didn't learn anything about racism during the past hundreds of years. #ICantBreathe #BlackLivesMatter #RIPEricGarner — luke (@Luke5a0s) Dec. 5, 2014
This isn't a protest, it's a civil rights movement. #ICantBreathe
— War Ontographer (@WarOntographer) Dec. 5, 2014
Truth bomb. #RosaParks #EricGarner #ICantBreathe #nycprotest pic.twitter.com/WAttVZgNSb — Taylor maye (@maylortaye) Dec. 5, 2014
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - MLK Jr. #ICantBreathe #myhearthurts pic.twitter.com/MMrSdkfPqH
— Søren Petersen (@petersenerrr) Dec. 5, 2014
Most are just posting their outrage online.
Why did a stupid officer have to choke Eric Garner even as he shouted #ICantBreathe. — Emmanuel Lawani (@Manuwani) Dec. 5, 2014
Some online protesters are also pointing out that FOX news host, Bill O'Reilly, who is normally on the other side of the fence on race matters, shared his view that Garner did not deserve to die the way he did.
Bill O'Reilly said he thought Eric Garner did not deserve the fate that befell him. That says a lot... #ICantBreathe https://t.co/K10yqi3eph
— M!CAH (@micah_nite) Dec. 5, 2014
The tweets keep pouring in by the hundreds every minute, the common sentiment being a cry for justice, the end of racism, and solidarity among all Americans no matter what the color of their skin.