Bill De Blasio and Cory Booker’s introductory statements at the CNN Democrat debate were interrupted by a group of protesters screaming “Fire Pantaleo.”
WATCH:
De Blasio thought by mentioning “stop-and-frisk” that it was going to be a clean opening for him.
But a protester yelling “Fire Pantaleo” at the end meant that it was not #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/yRcZOMOsZe
— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) August 1, 2019
Daniel Pantaleo, was the NYPD officer who put Eric Garner in a fatal chokehold.
Whole debate interrupted with “FIRE PANTALEO” chants aimed at de Blasio. Pantaleo is the Staten Island cop involved in Eric Garner death.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) August 1, 2019
These shouts then escalated during Cory Booker’s introductory statement, forcing him to stop.
WATCH: Protesters interrupt Cory Booker's opening statement. #DemDebate #DemDebate2 #DemocraticDebate pic.twitter.com/ZMLX0czz3k
— MRCTV.org (@mrctv) August 1, 2019
Protesters shouting "Fire Pantaleo!" during Booker's opening remarks, but presumably meant to direct it at de Blasio. (Pantaleo is the NYPD officer who killed Eric Garner.)
— Matt Ford (@fordm) August 1, 2019
Black Lives Matter leader Shaun King called the screaming protesters “brave.”
Thank you so much to the brave protestors right now who are chanting FIRE PANTALEO.
They are speaking of the horrible NYPD police officer who murdered Eric Garner in broad daylight and has since been protected by Bill de Blasio and the entire government.
— Shaun King (@shaunking) August 1, 2019