Hollywood has turned to Twitter to react to a New York grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo over the July death of 43-year-old Eric Garner.
Garner, who was allegedly selling loose cigarettes, died during his arrest on July 17, 2014 after Officer Pantaleo put him in a chokehold to subdue him. The altercation was caught on video by Garner’s friend, Ramsey Orta.
The verdict, which was announced on Wednesday morning, set off a wave of protests in New York.
Thousands gathered in the streets of Times Square on Wednesday, as demonstrators chanted in unison “I Can’t Breathe,” which were Garner’s last words.
The news comes shortly after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of 19-year-old Michael Brown and sparked a strong reaction among Hollywood A-lister’s.
Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes shared her displeasure regarding the verdict and started the hashtag “#ICantBreathe” on Twitter: