![I Can't Breathe man holding up a sign that reads I CAN'T BREATHE BLM along with a drawing of a black raised fist](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/017/909/cantbreathe.jpg)
I Can't Breathe
Part of a series on Eric Garner's Death. [View Related Entries]
This submission is currently being researched & evaluated!
You can help confirm this entry by contributing facts, media, and other evidence of notability and mutation.
About
"I Can't Breathe" is a quote uttered by Eric Garner, a 43-year-old Staten Island black man who died after being placed in a choke-hold by the officers of the New York Police Department in July 2014. In the weeks following his death, the quote quickly became the unofficial slogan chanted by protesters against police brutality and racial profiling in the United States.
Origin
On July 17th, 2014, Eric Garner[1], a New York City father of six children and a 400-pound asthmatic man, was put into a choke-hold after apparently breaking up a fight outside a local storefront in Staten Island. Five New York Police Department officers surrounded the father and then forced him onto the ground, while the man continually shouted, "I can't breathe" (clip below).[2]
Spread
The phrase "I Can't Breathe" quickly became a famous slogan for the anti-police brutality and Black Lives Matter movements, particularly after the police officer who choked Garner was not indicted. On December 5th, news organizations and "The Daily Show" aired segments Garner's death, featuring the phrase as part of the protest (shown below, left and right).
On December 3rd, 2014, Twitter [3] user @LisaBloom tweeted, "Eric Garner said 'I canāt breathe' & police choked him anyway ON VIDEO. Every decent person should be sickened by no indictment today." The tweet received more than 4,600 retweets and 2,200 likes in less than six years (shown below).
![Eric Garner said āI canāt breatheā & police choked him anyway ON VIDEO. Every decent person should be sickened by no indictme Lisa Bloom @LisaBloom Eric Garner said "I can't breathe" & police choked him anyway ON VIDEO. Every decent person should be sickened by no indictment today. 12:01 PM Ā· Dec 3, 2014 Ā· Hootsuite](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/702/2db.png)
As the phrase grew in usage, prominent public figures began using the words to express outrage toward Garner's death and the failure to indict. On December 9th, 2014, members of the Los Angeles Lakers wore shirts that read "I Can't Breathe" while warming up for a game (shown below, left).[4]
On December 10th, the Lakers Nation YouTube channel aired an interview about the shirts with late-professional basketball player Kobe Bryant about the shirts (shown below, right).
![kobe bryant I can't breathe shirt CAN'T BREATHE](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/710/e7f.jpg-039cb80da4bd28569f3f118b6b0d795a)
As the phrase became associated with the protests, it also became a controversial expression. In late December 2014, a high school basketball team was disinvited from a tournament "because of concerns players would wear T-shirts with the words āI Canāt Breatheā printed on them while warming up," according to The Guardian.[5]
On December 28th, 2017, Twitter[6] user @Delo_Taylor tweeted, "The NYPD murdered Erica Garner's father, #EricGarner, then held rallies where they publicly mocked his dying words 'I can't breathe' all the while stalking & harassing his family, supporters & activists. The terrorist killer cop, Daniel Pantaleo is still employed." The tweet received more than 7,200 likes and 6,300 retweets in less than three years (shown below).
![The NYPD murdered Erica Garner's father, #EricGarner, then held rallies where they publicly mocked his dying words "I can't b #RIPBassemMasri @Delo_Taylor The NYPD murdered Erica Garner's father, #EricGarner, then held rallies where they publicly mocked his dying words "I can't breathe" all the while stalking & harassing his family, supporters & activists. The terrorist killer cop, Daniel Pantaleo is still employed. I CAN REATHE CAN CAN EATHE I CAN BREATHE CAN TREATHE CAN REATHE CAN BREATHE 2:23 PM Ā· Dec 28, 2017 Ā· Twitter for Android >](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/715/d08.png)
In 2020, the death of George Floyd, a black man who also died following a choking while in police custody and used the phrase "I can't breathe" in his last words, brought renewed usage to the phrase. Twitter[6] user @BellezaDeAltura wrote about the children's television network Nickelodeon's statement, which prominently featured the quote (clip below, left). They wrote, "On nickelodeon they have a 'I canāt Breathe' commercial that shows how long is 9 mins. During this 9 mins you hear nothing just breathing." The tweet received more than 900,000 likes and 193,000 retweets in less than one month (shown below, right).
Several media outlets reported on the usage of the phrase, including HuffPost,[7] The New York Times,[8] TIME,[9] the Atlantic,[10] NBC,[11] Wired[12] and more.
![On nickelodeon they have a āI canāt Breatheā commercial that shows how long is 9 mins. During this 9 mins you hear nothing ju ALLANDRAg @BellezaDeAltura On nickelodeon they have a "I can't Breathe" commercial that shows how long is 9 mins. During this 9 mins you hear nothing just breathing. 2:05 PM Ā· Jun 1, 2020 Ā· Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/720/29a.png)
Various Examples
![I can't breathe sign crutches ICANT BREATHE](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/728/a8a.jpg)
![I can't breathe protest signs ICAN'T BREATHE ICAN'T BREATH AUS USA S27NE EN I CAN'T RREATHE](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
![I can't breathe face mask faa.com please ean't breathe CEORGE FLOV](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/726/79d.jpg)
![Basketball players and jay z can't breathe CAN'T BREATHE CAN'T BREATH 3D CAN'T BREATHE CAN'T BFEATHE Twitter](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/725/fd5.jpg)
![I can't breathe final words of eric garner I cant breathe - final words of Eric Garner](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/724/600.jpg)
![we can't breathe protest signs AGAINST POLICE TYRANNY | F FORGET WE WILL CANT I CA BRE WE CAN'T BREATHE WE CAN'T BREATHE](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/859/723/bf0.jpg)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Newsday ā Eric Garner Dies After Chokehold
[2] New York Times ā Staten Island Man Dies After Chokehold
[3] Twitter ā @LisaBloom
[4] Yahoo ā Nearly all Lakers wear 'I Can't Breathe' shirts for warmups vs. Kings
[5] The Guardian ā 'I Can't Breathe' T-shirts see high-school basketball team disinvited from event
[6] Twitter ā @Delo_Taylor's Tweet
[7] Huffington Post ā 'I Can't Breathe': Eric Garner's Last Words Symbolize Our Predicament
[8] New York Times ā At Netsā Game, a Plan for a Simple Statement Is Carried Out to a T
[9] TIME ā Illinois Woman Files Trademark Application for āI Canāt Breatheā
[10] The Atlantic ā They Shouted 'I Can't Breathe'
[11] NBC News ā Wal-Mart Changes I Can't Breathe Ad After Complaints
[12] Wired ā The Linguistic Power of the Protest Phrase āI Canāt Breatheā
Top Comments
Bald
Apr 28, 2015 at 06:27PM EDT
Lycanroc
Apr 28, 2015 at 06:11PM EDT