Breonna Taylor: Demonstrators take to the streets for 4th straight day

A Kentucky grand jury charged fired Officer Brett Hankison with wanton endangerment in the death of Breoanna Taylor in Louisville

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Sunday, September 27, 2020
Breonna Taylor protests take to the streets in NYC for 4th straight day
Demonstrators took to the streets for a fourth straight day to protest the grand jury decision not to indict any police officers on charges directly relating to the shooting death

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Demonstrators took to the streets for a fourth straight day to protest the grand jury decision not to indict any police officers on charges directly relating to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

A group marched on Saturday afternoon in Harlem.

That particular protest was organized by a city council candidate, who says he wants the Black Lives Matter movement to spark more changes through actual legislation.

The group says they have other protests planned for the week.

On Friday, protesters gathered outside the Barclays Center for a rally.

It was another peaceful rally, after similar staged marches on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Thursday, hundreds protested in Bushwick.

The anger spilled out of McCarren Park in Williamsburg, the hurt over Taylor's killing fueling these protests.

Her name echoed throughout Greenpoint, with organizers making it clear this protest was not about abolishing or defunding police.

"We are out here for the injustices to Breonna. We are not out here for abolishing anything," one protester said. "We need people to understand, we are peacefully upset. We are pissed. And the reason why we are out on these streets is to let people know that the verdict they came to, that the conclusion that they came to is unacceptable!"

On Thursday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo weighed in on the grand jury decision.

"Breonna Taylor's death was murder, people were outraged. Yes, because it's outrageous," Cuomo said. "If a person is murdered then there's a murderer right? That's how it works. And the underlying police work should never have happened in the first place."

Demonstrators are outraged criminal charges were passed down to just one Kentucky police officer - but not three others - in the Breonna Taylor case.

That officer, Brett Hankison, was charged with wanton endangerment, but no charges were handed against police for the death of Taylor.

When asked about Taylor on Wednesday, President Trump said he had to take an emergency call and left his press conference.

When asked about Breonna Taylor, President Trump said he had to take an emergency call and left his press conference.

One day later, Trump gave his regards to the family of Taylor adding that everything with the case is "sad."

"I think it's a sad thing and I give my regards to the family of Breonna," Trump said. "I also think it's so sad what's happening with everything about that case including law enforcement. So many people, suffering. So many people needlessly suffering but with respect to Breonna, we give our regards to the family."

Across the pond, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka released a statement on Thursday regarding the outcome of the Breonna Taylor grand jury decision:

"The staunch reality of Breonna Taylor, a young 26-year-old black woman, being murdered by use of deadly force by those that were sworn to protect her is only a mirrored version of our country's systemic failure to provide justice to those that need it most," Baraka said.

Baraka also called for police reform and much needed transparency and accountability.

RELATED: 'Say their names': Stories of Black Americans killed by police

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