People attend a rally on May 5, 2023, in in Washington Square Park in New York City to protest the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man who was choked to death on the subway. | Source: Andrew Lichtenstein / Getty
More than a week after the brazen vigilante chokehold homicide of Jordan Neely, an unarmed Black man on a New York City subway train, the person who killed him has avoided any criminal responsibility. New York City, as a result, has been overcome with anger not only about the killing but also that Daniel Penny, a Marine, has apparently been able to get away with it.
The aforementioned factors have collided in spectacular fashion in the Big Apple as organized protesters legally exercise their First Amendment rights to demonstrate against a criminal justice system that seems entirely too eager to forgive a white person for committing a crime for which a Black person would have been immediately jailed and charged criminally.
Protesters have taken to the streets, the subway system and at least one major bridge by disrupting traffic in all three places in an effort to bring attention to the miscarriage of justice surrounding Neely’s chokehold death last week.
It was on May 1 when witnesses said Neely boarded an F-line subway train in Manhattan and began screaming about being hungry. Neely also reportedly said he didn’t care if he was jailed or died. He then took off his jacket and threw it to the floor when Penny came up behind Neely and placed him in a sprawling chokehold for at least 15 minutes, squeezing the life out of the homeless man who witnesses claim was not being violent or threatening. At least two other men helped Penny restrain Neely. First responders couldn’t revive Neely at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital a short time later.
Police arrested Penny the same day but quickly released him without any criminal charges. Now, it appears that the prospects for Penny to be charged with any crime related to what a medical examiner ruled was a homicide are few and far between.
Neely’s family said Monday through their attorneys that Penny should be arrested called out the non-response of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has also been the target of protesters’ collective ire.
Last Friday, Penny’s legal team released a statement claiming Neely was “aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers,” directly contradicting claims from eyewitnesses.
On Monday night — the fifth straight night of protests — violence marred the demonstrations, according to CBS News. Nearly a dozen protesters were arrested in Manhattan and the NYPD tweeted a photo of what it said was a Molotov cocktail that officers allegedly found on Monday night.
The investigation into Neely’s homicide was reportedly set to be presented to a grand jury this week, which suggests an unwillingness on the Manhattan District Attorney Office’s part to bring criminal charges despite the medical examiner ruling the death a homicide because of the brutal chokehold.
Keep reading to find some of the most compelling photos from New York City-wide protests demanding justice for Jordan Neely and fort Daniel Penny to b e arrested and criminally charged for the subway chokehold homicide.
1. May 8
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2. May 8
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3. May 8
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4. May 8
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5. May 6
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NYPD officers arrest protesters in the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station during a “Justice for Jordan Neely” protest that began outside the Broadway-Lafayette station.
6. May 6
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More arrests in the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
7. May 6
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More arrests in the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
8. May 6
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More arrests in the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
9. May 6
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More arrests in the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
10. May 6
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Protesters stand on the train tracks at the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
11. May 6
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A protester climbs on a bus stop as a member of the NYPD looks on during a march from the Broadway-Lafayette subway station to the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
12. May 6
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A protester waits to be loaded into an NYPD van after getting arrested in the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
13. May 6
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Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
14. May 6
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Protesters stand on the train tracks at the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
15. May 6
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Protesters hold subway doors open at the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
16. May 6
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Middle finger to the law.
17. May 6
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At the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
18. May 6
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At the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station
19. May 6
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At the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
20. May 6
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An arrest in Manhattan.
21. May 6
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In Manhattan.
22. May 6
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In Manhattan.
23. May 6
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24. May 6
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25. May 6
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In Manhattan.
26. May 6
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At the Broadway/Lafayette Street subway station.
27. May 6
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28. May 6
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29. May 6
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30. May 6
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No justice, no peace.
31. May 6
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NYPD officers fill the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station platform after arrests.
32. May 6
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At the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
33. May 6
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At the Lexington Ave/63rd Street subway station.
34. May 6
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A memorial for Jordan Neely continues to grow outside of the Broadway-Lafayette subway station where Daniel Penny choked him to death.
35. May 6
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36. May 6
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37. May 5
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Protesters gather for a “Justice for Jordan Neely” rally in Washington Square Park in Manhattan.
38. May 5
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Activists demonstrate during a ‘Justice for Jordan Neely’ protest outside the Manhattan Courthouse.
39. May 5
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In Washington Square Park.
40. May 5
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Outside the Broadway-Lafayette subway station.
41. May 5
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In Washington Square Park.
42. May 5
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In Washington Square Park.
43. May 5
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At the Broadway-Lafayette subway station.
44. May 5
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At the Broadway-Lafayette subway station.
45. May 4
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Protesters rally outside of Barclays Center and march over the Manhattan Bridge.
46. May 4
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On the Manhattan Bridge.
47. May 4
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In Brooklyn.
48. May 4
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In Brooklyn.
49. May 4
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Police prepare as protesters gather at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn.
50. May 4
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Protesters gather at Barclays Center Arena.