DETROIT, Mich. — Hecklers shouting “Fire Pantaleo” interrupted both Mayor Bill de Blasio and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker during Wednesday night’s Democratic debate.
One protester could be heard chiming in during de Blasio’s opening statement, calling on Hizzoner to boot NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo, the cop accused of putting Eric Garner in a deadly chokehold five years ago.
Then, during Booker’s statement, a loud chorus erupted in the same cries. Booker was forced to stop until the agitators were silenced.
A Booker staffer tweeted: “To the folks who were standing up to Mayor de Blasio a few minutes ago — good for you. That’s how change is made. #DemDebate”
About seven to 10 “well dressed” people who “blended in” were removed from Detroit’s historic Fox Theater, a source said.
“[De Blasio] has failed to provide justice for the family of Eric Garner and the city of New York,” one of the protesters, Rev. Kirsten John Foy, told The Post after getting booted.
The mayor can’t “export [his] version of police accountability and police community relations out of New York City, across America, without us following [him] around and clearing the record,” said Foy, who was one of the initial members of de Blasio’s Clergy Advisory Council.
Addressing de Blasio directly, Foy said: “You have enabled Daniel Pantelo and you have nullified black life by allowing him to remain on the taxpayers role and we are going to make sure that you are held accountable.”
The mayor has refused to say whether Pantaleo should be fired over Garner’s death. The Justice Department earlier this month that it was declining to bring federal charges against Pantaleo.
But earlier Wednesday, a surrogate for his long-shot presidential campaign told The Post the mayor would have fired Pantaleo “immediately” if he could have.
“But unfortunately, these are things he cannot do, legally,” said Bronx Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda.
Additional reporting by Tamar Lapin