Reverend Al Sharpton is changing his plans about a march for Eric Garner later this month.
At a National Action Network rally today, Reverend Al Sharpton says that the march will not cross the Verrazano Bridge, which was his original plan.
Instead he says protesters will walk from the spot where Garner died during an arrest to the offices of the Staten Island District Attorney.
The decision comes after Staten Island officials raised concerns over traffic on the bridge.
Reverend Sharpton said those at the rally would still cross the bridge in buses and cars. He called them “Justice Caravans.”
Discussing the heightened tensions between police and the public since Garner’s death, Mayor de Blasio says the city needs to find a way to unify and move forward.
“That was a real tragedy. It grabbed at all of us, it grabbed at our hearts. But it’s something that has to be a part of the past, meaning we have to move past the tragedies and the tensions to unity. We have to get everyone on the same page,” de Blasio said.
Garner died last month after police used a banned chokehold while trying to arrest him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes.
His death sparked outrage from a number of groups in the city, saying that it’s too easy for police officers to abuse their position.
“So the people don’t forget that Eric was a victim of brutality, homicide,” said Esaw Garner, Eric Garner’s wife.
“What we want now is justice. It is all we want justice,” said Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr.
Meanwhile, Staten Islanders are reacting to the change in plans.
“That’s the only bridge that connects Staten Island to the city or to Brooklyn and there are people who work on Saturday and it would be good if the buses would be a better idea than totally shutting the bridge,” one Islander said.
“I just think it’s better that they’re taking buses instead of causing traffic,” another said.
Staten Island elected officials say they are pleased with the decision not to march across the Verrazano Bridge.
Meanwhile, Sharpton is working on gathering people to join his justice caravan and march.
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