Social media joins Eric Garner protestors worldwide at NYC Christmas tree lighting

Social media joins Eric Garner protestors worldwide at NYC Christmas tree lighting

Social media conversations about most recent grand jury decision not to indict a police officer coincide with NYC Christmas Tree lighting.

Social media is ablaze after a grand jury ruled not to indict the officers involved in a New York incident that left Eric Garner dead from a chokehold. In what many see as bad timing and unfortunate coincidence, the Rockerfeller Center has scheduled its annual Christmas tree lighting on the same day as the ruling— and protesters are not hesitating to use the highly visible event as a platform to voice their discontent.

The hashtag #ChristmasTreeLighting seems to have two completely different meanings on Twitter today: people are joyfully exclaiming about the celebrities seen and to be seen at the Rockefeller Center, while the other side, often coupled with a #ShutItDown hashtag, is advising protesters of where and when to meet up to make their voices heard.

This has become a trend in the past months with protests regularly held in nearly every state since police officer Darren Wilson shot Micheal Brown in Ferguson, Mo. One hashtag called #ItsBiggerThanYou, created by soon-to-be 20-year-old Aurielle Lucier, led to an Atlanta march to the CNN news facility that involved over 5,000 people.

When the latest grand jury ruling was announced today, tweets containing the hashtag #ShutItDown asked Lucier and other leaders around the country immediately what the plan was for the night. The question was not whether there would be a protest, but where.

The #ShutItDown and #ChristmasTreeLighting hashtags are quickly providing information for protest gathering points in New York City and around the country along with pictures, updates and tips for arrest assistance, while the same hashtags are showing pictures of performing celebrities. Protesters around the country plan to stand in solidarity with New York City protesters at the Christmas tree lighting scheduled for 8 p.m.

The 90-year-old tradition of the annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center includes high-profile stars such as Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Tony Bennett, LeAnn Rimes, Cyndi Lauper, the Rockettes, Darius Rucker, Seth MacFarlane and others, and it is aired live on NBC.

Before 8 p.m., protesters gathered near Radio City Music Hall, and police officers with paddy wagons waited around the corner. Protesters held signs and chanted a new chant for the occasion, “I Can’t Breathe,” a reference to the alleged last words of Eric Garner while being placed in a choke hold by New York police.

While the New York protesters readied themselves for their national television debut, protesters around the country stood with them, joined by a few hashtags, some used since the August shooting of Mike Brown and some new ones, such as #ICantBreathe.

Instagram posts under the hashtags simultaneously posted a moment of silence was held by protesters in Times Square at 8 p.m. Reports of police standing by but watching cautiously and helicopters hovering overhead stream through the hashtag time line, but with no reports of arrest.

Pictures flood in from D.C. displaying their solidarity, while Atlanta protesters make announcements on their latest location and updated meeting places. At the time of this report, no violence has occurred from the New York City protest. While tweets still come in at a constant rate with pictures of signs and chants, others state how proud they are of the protesters for keeping the peace.

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