Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot unveil a powerful protest video inspired by the tragic death of Eric Garner.
The song titled ‘I Can’t Breathe’, the final words of the late Eric Garner, is the band’s first English-language track.
The death of Mr. Garner was part of a slew of incidents across America involving African Americans and Police. He died in New York, after being choked by a Staten Island a police officer. Since his tragic death, the chokehold is no longer carried out by police.
Pussy Riot became global icons for their stance against Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. The band protests for women’s equality, LGBT rights and free speech. The trio were sentenced to two years imprisonment for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.”
The video features Maria Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova being buried alive. Speaking to NME about the song, Pussy Riot said: “To Eric Garner and to all who suffer from state terror – killed, choked, perished because of war and police violence – to political prisoners and those on the streets fighting for change. We all have to protest for those who are silent, and we have to protest for each other, no matter the geography, no matter the borders.”
“‘I can’t breathe’ – these are the last words of Eric Garner. Those words are his, but we hope they can also stand for us and for many around the world, for all who can’t breathe because authorities act with impunity and feel invincible and above the law in using power to humiliate, intimidate, hurt, kill and oppress. We’ve known, on our own skin, what police brutality feels like and we can’t be silent on this issue.”
Watch the powerful music video for ‘I Can’t Breathe’ below.
