I Can’t Breathe
#ICantBreathe immortalizes the final words of Eric Garner, a Black man killed by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo on July 17, 2014. The phrase became a rallying cry against police brutality and a haunting reminder of state violence against Black Americans.
Eric Garner’s Death
Eric Garner, 43, was approached by police in Staten Island for allegedly selling loose cigarettes. Officer Pantaleo placed Garner in a prohibited chokehold. Video captured Garner repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe” — eleven times — as officers pinned him down. He died shortly after.
The medical examiner ruled Garner’s death a homicide caused by “compression of neck (choke hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.”
Despite video evidence, a grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo in December 2014.
Protests & Solidarity
#ICantBreathe exploded as protesters nationwide chanted the phrase, wore shirts bearing the words, and demanded police accountability. Athletes joined the movement:
- Derrick Rose: Wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirt during warmups
- LeBron James: Wore the shirt before a Nets game
- Entire Georgetown basketball team: Wore the shirts
- NFL players: Several wore armbands or raised awareness
Tragic Repetition
The phrase gained renewed, heartbreaking relevance on May 25, 2020, when George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin. Floyd also repeated “I can’t breathe” multiple times as Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over nine minutes.
#ICantBreathe and #GeorgeFloyd merged as twin symbols of systemic police violence against Black people.
Cultural Legacy
The hashtag represents:
- The devaluation of Black life
- Impunity for police violence
- The power of video documentation
- Grassroots resistance to state brutality
- Generational trauma of anti-Black violence
Six years apart, two Black men said “I can’t breathe” as police killed them. Both were recorded. One officer was fired but not indicted (Pantaleo); the other was convicted of murder (Chauvin) only after global protests.
#ICantBreathe reminds us how little — and how much — has changed.
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