It might just be one of the most insensitive, disgusting, offensive, tone-deaf, and appalling acts you’ve seen recently.Â
As thousands took to the streets across the nation and in New York City, a local news reporter was doing a live shot in midtown Wednesday evening. As PIX11 reporter Allison Kaden was telling viewers about the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting, one woman ran behind her with her hands up, likely mimicking the protesters nearby. Immediately after, a white couple could be seen behind Kaden, apparently re-enacting the police chokehold that killed Eric Garner. And laughing.
The nation has been rocked by incidents of police use of unnecessary force and what many see as the murder of Black men. The “hands up, don’t shoot” gesture has become a modern-day cry against police brutality that has taken countless lives, including Michael Brown’s. The illegal police chokehold killed Eric Garner.
Talking Points Memo notes that “Kaden did not react to the offensive gesture and likely did not see it taking place,” adding, “PIX11 later posted video of the incident to YouTube.”
PIX11 does not post many reports to YouTube. They titled the clip, below, “Couple mockingly reenacts Eric Garner’s chokehold death on live TV.” In the description, they write, “PIX11 reporter Allison Kaden was reporting from Rockefeller Center after the grand jury decision not to indict a New York City police officer in the death of Eric Garner, when two people appear to jokingly reenact the fatal chokehold behind her.”
There seems to be little question, if any, what these people were doing.
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Image via YouTube
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