Sharpton, Eric Garner's family renew call for march on Washington next Saturday

The Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday renewed his call for a march on the nation's capitol next weekend to protest the grand jury decision in the Eric Garner case, vowing to get a federal investigation.

He was joined by a crowd of supporters and members of the Garner family at his Harlem headquarters and then at a memorial site in Staten Island.

Thousands of people have protested in the streets, landmarks and stores of New York City and other locations nationally for the past four days in response to a grand jury's decision not to indict NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the apparent chokehold death of Garner during an arrest on July 17.

"This is a movement of all races and ages," Sharpton said. "It is very heartwarming to see that across this country -- with no violence -- [people are] speaking out for Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown."

The decision in the Garner case came just days after a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, declined to indict a white police officer in the Aug. 9 shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man. In 2013 George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, was cleared of all charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in Florida.

Sharpton said that on Dec. 13 the families of all three men will be "leading the march, their arms locked together all heading down Pennsylvania Avenue."

In the morning, Sharpton led the crowd in a chant: "Get on the bus." Garner's family also took to the podium and voiced appreciation for the efforts of protesters, urging them to continue to keep up the nonviolent movement.

Both Garner's mother and widow told the audience Saturday that they were thankful for "all the peaceful protesters" who came out for Eric Garner.

"You, the protesters, have stood with me. You are standing up for my son. My heart is overflowing with joy. It is a gracious feeling," said Gwen Carr, Garner's mother.

Esaw Garner also spoke, calling her late husband "a gentle giant."

"Everyone who knew my husband knew he was a good man and the enormity of the love he gave to everyone," she said.

Sharpton told the audience to sign up for the march next weekend; buses are planned that will leave from his National Action Network headquarters on 145th Street and from the site of Garner's death in Staten Island.

Filmmaker and advocate Spike Lee and Corey Wise, one of the five men wrongfully convicted in the 1989 Central Park jogger case, attended the Harlem event.

Sharpton and Garner family members then traveled to Staten Island in the afternoon to lay a wreath of yellow and red roses near the site where Garner died. They were joined by Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Michael Brown's family.

Esaw Garner stood next to Sharpton with tears in her eyes and a stoic expression.

"The national government, the Congress, must deal with policing law," Sharpton said. "We cannot have a prosecutor, like what happened in our situation with Eric Garner and Michael Brown. Attorney Benjamin Crump is here showing unity as we are united together and we stand together. Next week, we will be in Washington standing together."

Sharpton ended his short comments with a silent prayer, and he and Garner's family left the site as rained poured.

With Maria Alvarez and Candice Ferrette