Thousands turn out for rally over chokehold death
By JONATHAN LEMIRE, Associated Press
Aug 23, 2014 12:03 PM CDT
Esaw Garner, left, arrives at the spot where her husband Eric Garner died while being escorted by The Rev. Al Sharpton and Eric Garner's mother Gwen Carr, right, at the start of a march and rally in the Staten Island borough of New York Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. The city medical examiner ruled that Eric...   (Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of people expressing grief, anger and hope for a better future have taken to New York City streets to protest the chokehold death of an unarmed black man by a white police officer.

The noontime rally and march Saturday in Staten Island is being led by the Rev. Al Sharpton and relatives of Eric Garner, who died last month.

The marchers walked behind a banner that says, "We Will Not Go Back, March for Justice."

Police estimate the crowd at 2,500 people and growing as busloads of marchers arrive. A police official credits march organizers with helping to keep things orderly.

Sharpton had earlier warned demonstrators to go home if they could not remain nonviolent.

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