Photos: Thousands march through Staten Island in rally for Eric Garner

On July 17, police stopped Eric Garner, an unarmed black man, for hawking loose cigarettes near the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The confrontation quickly escalated, and a police officer put Garner — who was asthmatic — in a chokehold. A cellphone video records the incident, including Garner gasping, "I can't breathe." Soon after, he was declared dead.

This afternoon, more than 2,000 protesters took to the streets of Staten Island, walking in memory of Garner and behind a banner reading, "We Will Not Go Back, March for Justice." The rally, led by the Rev. Al Sharpton and Garner's relatives, remained peaceful in nature. Police dotted the marchers' route, but none had riot gear. Below, images from the event. --Sarah Eberspacher

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