New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Bill de BlasioOVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities New Year's Eve in Times Square to be largely virtual amid pandemic MORE (D) responded over Twitter Wednesday night to protesters who interrupted his opening remarks during the Democratic presidential primary debate, thanking them and saying he heard them.

In a Twitter thread, the mayor addressed the Justice Department's decision this week not to charge the police officer involved in the 2014 death of Eric Garner, an African American man suspected of illegally selling untaxed cigarettes.

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"To the protestors in the audience today: I heard you. I saw you. I thank you," he tweeted. "This is what democracy looks like and no one said it was pretty."

"I want the Garner family and every single person hurt by the tragedy of his death to know they are seen and heard," he added. "We all watched Eric Garner's dying words. They haunted this nation. He NEVER should have died."

"While I believe that respecting the process is the best way to get justice for Eric Garner's family, I recognize and identify with the pain people across this country are feeling," de Blasio said. "From ending a broken policy of stop-and-frisk to training our officers in implicit bias, we've fundamentally changed our city because of Eric Garner — so that a tragedy like this never happens again."

To the protestors in the audience today: I heard you. I saw you. I thank you.



This is what democracy looks like and no one said it was pretty. #DemDebate — Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 1, 2019

I want the Garner family and every single person hurt by the tragedy of his death to know they are seen and heard.



We all watched Eric Garner's dying words. They haunted this nation. He NEVER should have died. #DemDebate — Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 1, 2019

While I believe that respecting the process is the best way to get justice for Eric Garner's family, I recognize and identify with the pain people across this country are feeling. #DemDebate — Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 1, 2019

From ending a broken policy of stop-and-frisk to training our officers in implicit bias, we've fundamentally changed our city because of Eric Garner — so that a tragedy like this never happens again. #DemDebate — Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 1, 2019

The mayor was not the only candidate on Wednesday's stage to be interrupted by protesters: Former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE was also targeted by activists who chanted slogans referring to the Obama administration's record of deportations.

Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.), de Blasio's 2020 rival, tweeted his own response to the protesters, writing: "To the folks who were standing up to Mayor de Blasio a few minutes ago—good for you."