Busloads of demonstrators left Harlem for Staten Island and a Saturday march protesting the chokehold death of a black man during his arrest last month by a white city cop.
The demonstrators, led by the Rev. Al Sharpton, will march from the sidewalk where Eric Garner was brought down by the NYPD to the offices of the Staten Island district attorney.
'The reason I'm marching is because it's time for people of color to be recognized as human beings,' said Shirley Evans, 63, of Manhattan. 'For years and years, we've been fighting for our rights.
'It's time we're seen as equals.'
No charges were yet brought in the Garner case despite the city medical examiner's determination that his death was a homicide.
Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan announced this week that a grand jury will begin considering criminal charges next month.
Early arrivals at Sharpton's National Action Network began appearing around 6:30 a.m. for the 'We Will Not Go Back' march and demonstration.
John Minchillo/AP Esaw Garner, wife of Eric Garner, left, cries alongside her daughter Emerald Garner during a rally at the National Action Network headquarters for Eric Garner, Saturday, July 19.
John Minchillo/AP Esaw Garner, wife of Eric Garner, breaks down in the arms of Rev. Herbert Daughtry, center, and Rev. Al Sharpton, right, during a rally at the National Action Network headquarters for Eric Garner, Saturday, July 19.
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Members of Garner's family were expected, along with relatives of Michael Brown - the unarmed 18-year-old killed by police bullets in Ferguson, Mo.
Mariah Lopez, head of a transgender advocacy group, was among those boarding the early morning buses.
'I could have stayed in bed and then I thought to myself, 'I can get up, I can go march, I have the choice,'' said Lopez. 'Eric Garner can't. He doesn't have that choice.'
Garner died after his July 17 arrest for allegedly peddling single, untaxed cigarettes near a Staten Island park. A video obtained by the Daily News showed the big man shouting 'I can't breathe!' as he was taken to the sidewalk.
Eleven-year-old Tabia Lee came with her mom and kid sister from Millville, N.J., to join in the march.
'We came out because we are protesting things that are happening in the African-American community,' the little girl said. 'I think what happened is sad.'
ebadia@nydailynews.com
Entities 0 Name: Eric Garner Count: 6 1 Name: National Action Network Count: 3 2 Name: Staten Island Count: 3 3 Name: John Minchillo\/AP Esaw Garner Count: 2 4 Name: Al Sharpton Count: 2 5 Name: Garner Count: 2 6 Name: Staten Island District Count: 1 7 Name: NYPD Count: 1 8 Name: Manhattan Count: 1 9 Name: African-American Count: 1 10 Name: Daniel Donovan Count: 1 11 Name: N.J. Count: 1 12 Name: Lopez Count: 1 13 Name: Ferguson Count: 1 14 Name: Millville Count: 1 15 Name: Shirley Evans Count: 1 16 Name: Herbert Daughtry Count: 1 17 Name: Emerald Garner Count: 1 18 Name: Harlem Count: 1 19 Name: Mariah Lopez Count: 1 20 Name: Daily News Count: 1 21 Name: Sharpton Count: 1 22 Name: Tabia Lee Count: 1 23 Name: Mo. Count: 1 24 Name: Michael Brown Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1p1kAi2 Title: Thousands expected to march against death of unarmed New York man killed by police chokehold Description: Organizers expect up to 5,000 people to attend a march protesting the death of an unarmed black man who died after being placed in a chokehold by a white New York police officer. The Saturday march in Staten Island is being led by the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network.
