Earlier this year Spike Lee revisited a scene from his film \u201cDo the Right Thing\u201d \u00a0by creating a mashup clip featuring character Radio Raheem choked to death by police and footage from Eric Garner\u2019s officer-involved death. Lee\u2019s scene, which was\u00a0inspired by the 1983 death of New York graffiti artist Michael Stewart, not only caused the filmmaker to draw parallels between art imitating life, but also prompting him to protest for justice.<\/p>\n
Last night following a grand jury\u2019s decision not to indict police Daniel Pantaleo in Staten Island, New York for the homicide of Garner, Lee appeared on CNN\u2019s Anderson Cooper 360 where he shared his thoughts on losing hope for police relations in America.<\/p>\n
\u201cI keep hoping, but hope\u2019s not working. It doesn\u2019t look like hope has been a part of the grand jury in the last nine days in Ferguson and Staten Island,\u201d Lee admitted to Cooper. \u201cI have faith in [Attorney General] Eric Holder, and I think justice, in this case at least\u2026because there\u2019s evidence. There\u2019s a 14-minute tape by Eric Garner\u2019s friend, who spent a lot of that day with him. And I don\u2019t know what the grand jury was looking at that they cannot bring a charge and the guy walks.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 57-year-old went on to reveal his experience joining a peaceful New York City protest following last week\u2019s Ferguson, Missouri grand jury decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was diverse New Yorkers. Black, white, brown, Asian all chanting \u2018black lives matter,\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cAnd a lot of young people\u2026You know, young people in this generation gets a bad rap. They\u2019re the ones that are leading this. So watching you inspired me to get out there with these young women and men and be a part of this.\u201d
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