The phrase originated in the July 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was put into a chokehold by a New York City Police Department officer. A video of Garner restrained by multiple officers showed him saying "I can't breathe" 11 times before losing consciousness.[1] Following the December 2014 acquittal of the officer who put Garner into a chokehold, the slogan experienced a dramatic increase in popularity amid widespread protests.[2] The hashtag "#ICantBreathe" was tweeted over 1.3 million times that month, aided by expressions of solidarity from amateur and professional athletes.[3]