Eric Garner Protesters Shut Down West Side Highway

The NYPD has responded to the recent assassination of 2 of its officers by engaging in a "work slowdown," which Reason's Scott Shackford noted has resulted in "a 94 percent drop in citations for traffic violations, a 92 percent drop in parking violation citations, and a 66 percent drop in overall arrests."

New York cops already felt they lacked the support of Mayor Bill de Blasio based in part on the statement he made on December 3, 2014, hours after a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict the NYPD officer who placed Eric Garner in a banned chokehold, wherein he described talking to his biracial son about "how to take special care in any encounter he has with the police officers."

Rank and file officers are also reportedly upset with the mayor's tolerance for the nightly protests which erupted the night of the non-indictment, resulting in thousands of people taking to the streets and eventually blocking off Manhattan's West Side Highway. Reason TV was on hand to report on the civil disobedience. 

"Eric Garner Protesters Shut Down West Side Highway" Produced by Anthony L. Fisher. About 2 minutes, 50 seconds.

Original release date was December 4, 2014 and the original writeup is below.

Following a Staten Island grand jury's decision to not indict the NYPD officer who used a banned chokehold on Eric Garner, who's death was ruled a homicide by the city coroner, protesters vented their frustrations at police from behind barricades in the vicinity of 6th Avenue and 47th Street in Manhattan.

A short while later, hundreds of them descended on Manhattan's West Side Highway, staging a die-in at 59th Street, before marching uptown along the highway. Though not everyone was pleased to be stranded on the highway, a number of drivers stepped out of their cars in soldiarity with the demonstrators and honked their horns in approval of the civil disobedience.

Reason TV covered the protests as they began yesterday afternoon in Grand Central Station and throughout the night. For more of Reason.com's coverage of the Eric Garner case, go here. 

About 2 minutes, 50 seconds. 

Produced by Anthony L. Fisher.