By Mustafa Caglayan
NEW YORK
New York City protesters angry about police brutality against black men staged a demonstration Monday outside a sports complex during a professional basketball game attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Approximately 100 demonstrators, mostly high school and college students, converged on the Barclays Center in the borough of Brooklyn where the Brooklyn Nets played the Cleveland Cavaliers in a highly anticipated National Basketball Association showdown.
They staged a die-in in front of the aena before the game began. A die-in is a form of civil disobedience where demonstrators lie down in a public space and remain still, as if dead.
The protesters were seen carrying signs and wore t-shirts that read, "I can't breathe," the last words of 43-year-old black Eric Garner, an asthmatic who died July 17 after being placed in a chokehold by white New York Police Department officer Daniel Pantaleo.
The selection of Barclays Center as the scene of Monday's demonstration pointed to the fact that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who are on a three-day visit to New York, were set to attend the game, which resulted in victory for the Cavaliers' 110-88.
The appearance of Prince William and Kate at the game prompted many Twitter users to use the hashtag "RoyalShutdown."
A New York grand jury's decision last week not to file criminal charges against Panaleo sparked rioting in the city, which has seen nightly demonstrations every day since the verdict was announced Wednesday.
Protesters later tried to block traffic on main roadways near the stadium. Some attempted to enter stores at a nearby shopping complex but were blocked by police.
Meanwhile, Cavs' star LeBron James wore a black shirt with the words "I can't breathe" written across the chest during warm-ups before the game.
On Saturday, Chicago Bulls star guard Derrick Rose sported the same message on his t-shirt during a pre-game warm-up.
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