The daughter of Eric Garner, the man who died two years ago after New York City police placed him in a chokehold, walked out of an ABC News taping of a town hall with President Barack Obama Thursday in protest, saying network producers broke a promise to highlight her questions.
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“Though this may seem counterintuitive, we know from our experience as law enforcement officials that over-relying on incarceration does not deter crime”, they wrote.
“It was nothing short of full exploitation of Black pain and grief”, she cried.
Garner said that she did not mean to make the president uncomfortable but felt that she had to be “belligerent just to be heard”.
– officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016they promised me that if ANY questions got asked of #POTUS that mine would be asked…
“I heartily encourage Black girls and women to be as loud and vocal and “ratchet” and “ghetto” and whatever else they say #LoudBlackGirls”, she added. “And I went out there I had to tell, scream, and eventually I was able to speak to the president”.
A digital live stream hosted by ABC News senior legal correspondent and analyst Sunny Hostin and ESPN’s Lonnae O’Neal, senior writer for The Undefeated, will immediately follow the town hall, featuring a continuing conversation with the audience.
According to Garner’s political adviser Reggie Harris, the head of Disney, which is ABC’s parent company, personally requested Erica’s presence at the event.
“I’m doing a march”, Garner said.
Mr Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, later said the President had visited briefly with Ms Garner, “who was upset that she didn’t get called on to ask a question”. “The President spoke to several people after the event ended, including at length with Erica Garner”.
“We denounce the ABC Town Hall ― it wasn’t a town hall”, she said. “I am sorry for your loss”, the president said as he shook Garner’s hand.
“The federal government has requested that we hold out on an administrative investigation until they finish their civil rights investigation”, Bratton pointed out. “Taking time away from things I had planned to remember my father”.
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Garner later explained that she had been denied every opportunity to address the President and there was little room to ask genuine questions. And how they are often spoken over, or even overlooked.
