new york city mayor bill de blasio is moments away from holding a news conference. there he is, granted jury in staten island decided it will not indict a white police officer who put began center a choke hold. as you know garner later died. and the mayor is greeting people right now. a number of people we believe will get an opportunity to speak after the mayor. let's listen in now from the comments of new york city bill de blasio. >> we've just come from a meeting of clergy, and elected officials and other leaders here in staten island. and a lot of pain and frustration in the room this evening at the same time a lot of purposefulness everyone here having spent so much of their lives trying to address some of

the divisions that afflict us. particularly our brothers and sisters who are members of the clergy having devoted themselves to supporting people in all sorts of situations. yet tonight there was a particular sense of challenge and pain. i want to thank everyone gathered together in common purpose. i want to thank mr. brown for hosting us for his leadership. i want to thank public advocate, and i want to thank councilor rhodes, who has been at the center of what has been at the center of issues these past

months. i know it has not been easy, council member, but i want to thank you for your profound leaders, and so many of the clergy that you work with who have been such important partners. reminding people that we have to find a way forward. and we have to find a way forward together by definition. it's a very emotional day for our city. it's a painful day. that's the core reality. so many people in this city are feeling pain right now. we're grieving again over the loss of eric garner, who was a father, husband, son, a good man, and who should be with us and isn't. that pain, that fact is felt sharply with us today. i spent some time with ben garner, eric's father, who is in

unspeakable pain. and it's a very hard thing to spend time trying to comfort someone you know is beyond reach of comfort because of what he has been through. i can only imagine, i couldn't help but immediately think what it would mean to me to lose dante. life would never be the same after. things will never be whole again for mr. garner. even in the midst of his pain one of the things that he said so squarely was there can't be violence. eric would not have wanted violence. violence won't get us anywhere. he was so sharp and clear in his desire in spite his pain, i found it noble. i can only imagine what it took for him to summen that. no family should have to go

through what the garner family has had to go through. the tragedy is personal to this family, but it has become something personal to so many of us. it has put in stark perspectives relationships between police and community, issues come to the fore again. we have to dress them. we have to dress them with all of our might. we can't stop them. we have to act. the assumption with all of our jobs, that's what we have to fight for. this is profoundly personal for me. i was at the white house the other day, and the president of the united states turned to me, and he had met dante a few months ago. he said dante reminded him of what he looked like as a teenager. he said, i know you see this crisis through a very person lens. i said to him that i did.

because we've had to talk to dante for years about the dangers he may face. good young man, law-abiding young man who would never think of doing anything wrong, yet because of the history that hangs over us the history he may face. we've had to train him like families have had in this city for decades of how to take special care of answer encounters with police officers, who are there to protect him. that painful contradiction that young people see. police are there to protect them, but at the same time there is a history to overcome because for so many of our young people there is a fear. for many of our families there is a fear. i've had to worry over the years.

there are so many families who feel that at night, is my child safe. not just because of some of the painful reality of violences in our neighborhoods, but they're safe from the very people they want to have faith in as their protectors. that's reality. and it conforms to something bigger that you've heard come out in the protests in ferguson and all over the country. this is now a national moment of grief, a national moment of pain and searching for a solution. you've heard it so many places. people of all backgrounds utter the same basic phrase. they say black lives matter. they said it because it had to be said. you the a phrase that should

never have to be said. it's self-evident. but our history requires us to say that black lives matter because as i said the other day we're not just dealing with a prominent 2014, we're not dealing with years of racism leading up to it or decades of racism. we're dealing with centuries of racism that have brought us to this day. that's how profound the crisis is. to turn from that history and make a change that is profound and lasting. in the here and now so many new yorkers ask what will happen next? will there be a full hearing of these facts? will there be an investigation that means something to them?

i think the truth is important here. one chapter has closed and there are more chapters ahead. it will make it's own decisions on the administrative actions it will take. the federal government is clearly engaged and poised to act. just before the meeting began, i received a phone call from the united states attorney general eric holder and u.s. attorney loretta lynch, they made it clear that the investigations initiated will now move forward. it will be done expeditiously. it will be done with a clear sense of independence and there will be a thorough investigation. there was a palpable sense of

resolve that there will be a full and thorough investigation and draw conclusions accordingly. we experienced one challenge after another in these last weeks. events of ferguson they have more sharply shown what we feel deeply. it was hard for any one of us as a human being, and anyone of us as a parent to not be deeply pained by the death of tamir rice in cleveland, a 12-year-old boy. something that's very hard to fathom. all of these pains add up and demand action.

it is powerful even in the midst of this pain that our president is acting, it is powerful that our president is focused on changing our approach to policing. focusing on value of body cameras a as a new tool for accountability and transparency. it's powerful that our attorney general is focused. these things will matter. these things will lead to change here in this city. change is happening even at this moment people are feeling pain and frustration, confusion. change is happening right now. i said in the meeting change is happening because people willed it to happen. we're leaders. we all strife to serve and help our people. but people willed this change to happen. people believe the broken policy of stop and frisk have to end, and it has.

there are too many people who are saddled with a record for the rest of their lives simply because of a possession of a small amount of marijuana. that has to change. people have demanded something different. it's my responsibility and the responsibility of everyone here with me to achieve that on behalf of the people. our police commissioner, i knew him to be one of the biggest reformers and change agents in policing in this country. i've seen that ability and those values play out each and every day. we saw it today at the new york city police department academy. we talk about what body cameras will mean in terms of police and community. we talk about the retraining of

the entire police force, something that has never been done in this city before. we talk about helping our officers understand different ways to defuse confrontations. we talk about bringing our officers closer to the community from the first moments of their experience as law enforcement officers, emphasizing the partnership they need with the community. i remind you i have faith in commissioner brattan faced on the actions he has taken over decades. it's also faced on the clarity of his message to all of us. he gathered his top command heirs few weeks ago. it's well reported. he said very publicly the department will act aggressively to ensure an officer who is not meant to be in this work, he talked about those who don't

live up to the values of the uniform, who are quote/unquote brutal, corruption, racist, who are incompetent, this is our police commissioner making clear his standard that people who sadly fit those descriptions would not be members of the nypd. these changes will matter. they will effect millions of people. they will take time, but that is not in any way an excuse or a willingness on our part to do anything but the fastest change we can. it's an honest that changes can't happen overnight. each change buildings on the next. there is a momentum of change that will be held in every neighborhood of this city. again, it does not come first and foremost from city hall.

it comes from the people in the city who have demanded it. this change is about the values of our people, the will of our people. the goodness of our people. that's where change comes from. and everyone has an opportunity to play a role in that change by continuing to work for it. that is across every community. i have to emphasize, and we see this all over the country, but i know its true here, and i've experienced from last year that i think its evidences, this is not just a demand coming from the african-american community. it's not just a demand coming from the latino community. it's coming from every community, people of all faiths, who wants a city of fairness, who want violence to end, who want no family to go through the tragedy the garners did. so people will express themselves now as they should in

a democracy. i ask everyone to listen to what ben garner said, and what eric garner's son said as well. do you want to dignify the life of eric garner, you will do so through peaceful protest, you will work relentlessly with change. you will not sully his name with violence or vandalism. that does not bring us closer to a better community. the only thing that has worked is peaceful protest, non-violence, peaceful activism. that is the only thing that has ever worked. and the garner family has made that abundantly clear. michael brown's family has made that abundantly clear. people should listen to those we say we stand in solidarity with, fulfill their wishes, and work for change the right way. i'll just finish with a couple more points. then i want to say something in

spanish before i depart. so many of us are steeped in the speeches of dr. king and many great leaders, but perhaps no one more definitional than dr. king. he said something so fundamental that it reminds us how to handle this moment. he said in justice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. this is a problem for all new yorkers, it's a problem for all americans. it has to be treated as such. anyone who says to you that this is a problem held only by people of color or pertinent to young people misses what's going on here. this is all of our problems. and anyone who believes in the values of this country should feel called to action right now.

anyone who cares about justice, that american value of justice should understand is a moment of change must happen. change that is as good as the people that we represent. i just want to say in spanish. [ speaking spanish ] >> the bilingual mayor of new york city bill de blasio finishing his remarks. let's go to this--the mayor said a lot there. he relayed to everyone watching and those in the room a conversation he had with ben garner. eric garner's father. >> i would say that is the most significant and interesting part because you could hear in the mayor's voice the fear that city leaders have right now about protests turning violent. there is the mayor saying i

spoke with eric garner's father, ben garner. he spoke with clarity. he said don't sully my son's name. if you're going to protest, protest peacefully. to the extent that he could, by mentions that, by hitting--being articulate and empathetic, talking his own stories. married to an african-american woman. they have a 17-year-old son that the mayor said repeatedly he worries about how his son is treated by police, and said he has done what a lot of families have had to do, and that is train him-- >> have the talk. >> have the talk. and have special care in dealing with police officers who are there to protect you. he gives credit to the police chief bill bratton. it's a very fine line and delicate line that the mayor has to walk. >> let's get to roxana saberi.

she's in times square right now. there is protest starting to build. there are people starting to gather. and you've had an opportunity to talk to people. give us a sense of what is starting to build there at times square? >> right, tony, the protesters started gathering about 45 minutes ago. at first it was just a handful, but now there are probably over a few hundred. you can pan over to look at some of their signs. they have signs saying respect human rights. racism is tyranny. they've been shouting various chants as we can't breathe. i can't breathe, which were eric garner's last words. many people have been tying michael brown's death and the grand jury decision not to indict the officer there to what happened to eric garner and the decision by the grand jury today not to indict officer panteleo.

some have made plans to be here while others joined by walking by. douglas, why did you decide to join the protest today? >> i needed to express how i was feeling. i needed to some how have some sort of way to vent. it's very difficult that just being black could be the source of someone's fear, and then they could decide to kill you as a result of it. i'm having a hard time with that in america. >> how surprised were you that there was no indictment today? >> yes, we live in a country of laws, but when they're inconsistently applied it becomes one of those very disappointing things, and i think it really is hard to actually express how i feel. that's why i came here. >> you think that race was a big issue in what happened to eric garner? >> i think just in the country, you know, we have unresolved

things based on whether it's slavery or whether it's the civil war. there have been a lot of things that we've not been able to resolve, and it continues to bubble up today. and this is another--another instance of that. >> thank you so much, douglas, for coming. that is douglas, a teacher here in new york city. i've also had a chance to speak with glen carr, eric garner's mother, she asked if there were protests, if they are to form, to remaim calm. the protests are getting lauder. there is moderate police presence here but not out of the order. >> to echo ben garner, eric garner's dad, he's calling for peace and no violence. let's go live to staten island, where the whole incident took place. paul, over to you.

>> well, tony, here we are right here in staten island. we're right at the scene at that deadly confrontation, and so far a peaceful, quiet gathering. it seems to be neighbors, local people. it does not feel like a lot of people have come in from outside to be at this location. we are in staten island. it's fairly remote. we're half mile away from where the mayor and community leaders are speaking. we've been hearing from them just a moment ago. occasional person, there may be a call for agitation, and then another person will come and calm that person down. there may be 50 at the moment, not a big scene here. if there is a large presenc police presence here, they're standing off. maybe in the far corners of the area thatber' in, but a calm presence here tonight. >> that's interesting. roxana saberi shared the same

thing. at the moment there is not a large police presence around times square and you're saying the same thing. people being allowed to gather without a big police presence obviously not present. >> reporter: yes, as i was saying if they are here one would have to think that they are, they are not making their presence felt. it is a stand off kind of situation where we see the occasional squad car go through the far side of the intersection , but we're in a pedestrian section off a retail corridor, and mostly satellite trucks and media. people sort of milling around, talking, a lot of hugs and affection. but again no visible police presence, and no organized protest or demonstration present here at all. >> paul beban for us at staten island. let's bring in david shuster and jamie floyd.

our legal contributor. i've been asking people all day since the decision was announced, are you surprised? are you surprised? no one has been surprised? how about you? >> not surprised. >> why are you not surprised? >> well, as we discussed in the ferguson case. >> there is video this time. >> yes, that's distinctive. >> it shows most of what happened. >> it leads us to think that we know what happened. >> what are we missing? >> well, you know, this case, the one reason i would not have been surprised also had there been an indictment, which is slightly different way of answering your question, so maybe a little bit more surprised than ferguson, but here you have a police officer charged, and there is almost never an indictment in those cases. there are some exceptions. remember the sean bell shooting. that's here in new york. and here we had a trial. >> yes, yes. >> and some conviction. it could have happened here. and i think in the context of ferguson, i thought maybe even though outside influence is not

supposed to affect the grand jury, i thought it might. i'm a little bit surprised. but like the young man who said he's cynical. well, i'm older than he is, and i'm real cynical. >> david shuster has more additional information that might be helpful here. david? >> well, the lawyer for daniel pantaleo gives some insight, pantaleo, the officer charged, the target of the grand jury, the one officer amongst those who had their hands on garner who was not given immunity. subject of investigation. he testified within the last couple of weeks and the key testimony, according to the lawyer, is that pantaleo said that he did what he trained to do. he had no intent to hurt garner. he was following the instructions and training he had received. jamie, correct me if i'm wrong, but that eliminates any charge of homicide or manslaughter

because there is no intent. and then the question of reckless endangerment is the final charge, and that's where i think there is some surprise because correct me if i'm wrong, but based on the video alone. >> let the jury decide that. >> well, there are--this are some other charges you can bring. i was very curious about some other possibilities. we don't know what the prosecutor asked for. >> if he asked for anything. >> he may not have asked for anything. he may have given all the potential charges. >> that would have been ferguson all over again. >> it may have been ferguson all over again. but there is merchandise assault. assault--misdemeanor assault, there are all degrees of assault which have no requirement, and then third-degree endangerment. and there are the involuntary

manslaughterrers. obviously you pointed out there was not going to be any second degree murder, but there are all kinds of issues that separate is significantly from ferguson. >> this idea right here. where we get to see this video. and they get to ask questions based on what it's seeing in the video. what might have been the impact of this officer taking the stand and saying, essentially, look, i'm following--i was following my training. what you see here is me following my training. >> here is the concern about the grand jury. he takes the stand, but he's not cross-examined. or any witness whotation the standing going back to ferguson, all the witnesses, of what they think they saw even if they're telling the truth from their perspective, no one is questioning them aggressively.

>> that's the discretion of the prosecutor. >> that's where we'll do a reset. we're back in just moments from al jazeera america. back in a moment.

>> a grand jury decides not to indict. in the case of eric garner. a black man who died when a white police officer put him in a chokehold. >> airbag maker takata says it's not necessary