The New York Police Department has announced that Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer filmed choking Eric Garner to death in 2014, has been fired.

Police Commissioner James O’Neill announced the decision in a press conference on Monday. In a lengthy speech describing the actions that led to Mr Garner's death, which fuelled support for the Black Lives Matter movement as the video of Mr Garner being choked to death spread, Mr O'Neill said that he would be adhering to a previous recommendation from a departmental judge for Mr Pantaleo's firing.

"If I was a police officer, I would probably not be happy," Mr O'Neill told reporters of his decision, which he noted was "a different kind of tragedy" than Mr Garner's death. And indeed, the Police Benevolent Association, a union representing officers in New York, has expressed anger over the decision in the aftermath of the firing.

"I can tell you that had I been in Officer Pantaleo's situation, I may have made similar mistakes," Mr O'Neill, who served as an officer for roughly thirty years, added. "But none of us can take back our decisions, particularly when they result in the death of another human being."

Mr Pantaleo had previously been placed on desk duty after Mr Garner’s death, having held Mr Garner in a choke-hold as the victim cried out “I can’t breathe” eleven times before dying. Mr Garner had been arrested for allegedly selling cigarettes outside a corner store.

New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, which prosecuted the disciplinary case, released a statement following the announcement saying that although the process took "entirely too long," the ultimate decision was "heartening."

"While July 17 is and always will be a sombre day for the city of New York," the statement read, referring to the day in 2014 on which Mr Garner was killed, "today we can rest assured that Daniel Pantaleo will never patrol our streets again."

Emerald Garner, one of Mr Garner's daughters, said in her own press conference that the family would still be calling for a law banning the choke-hold.

"I don't want another Eric Garner," she said. "I will do everything in my power to never see another Eric Garner. I don't even want to see another video of a person being choked out. It wasn't supposed to happen to him, and it's not supposed to happen. I should not be here, standing with my brother, fatherless. I should be here with my father. But Pantaleo took that away from me on [July 17, 2014]. He's fired, but the fight is not over. We will continue to fight."

Mr Pantaleo's continued role in the NYPD had become a point of contention in both New York and nationwide protests, especially as New York City mayor Bill de Blasio's presidential campaign has persisted. Mr de Blasio, who took office just six months before Mr Garner was killed, has fought criticism of his refusal to fire Mr Pantaleo for much of his time as mayor. His history with the NYPD as a whole, as well as Mr Pantaleo, was the subject of much criticism as the last Democratic debate.

In a press conference following the announcement, Mr de Blasio quoted Martin Luther King Jr, and said he hoped the decision would bring "some small measure of closure and peace to the Garner family."

"It should never happen again in this city or this country," he said. "Let this be the last tragedy."

In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Protesters stand in Foley Square in New York City during demonstration against the chokehold death of Eric Garner In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests A protestor hold up her hands in front of the NYPD as she and others block traffic on the West Side Highway during demonstrations in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Police make an arrest as protesters rallying against a grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner march through Midtown in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests New York City police officers push people out of an intersection in Times Square In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests A demonstrator is arrested during a protest following the decision by a Staten Island grand jury not to indict a police officer who used a chokehold on Eric Garner, who subsequently died, in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests A demonstrator is arrested during a protest In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests epaselect epa04515471 A woman reacts as New York City police officers push people out of an intersection in Times Square during a protest against the decision of a grand jury not to indict a police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests People march toward the West Side Highway during a protest in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests People march over the Brooklyn Bridge in protest against the decision of a grand jury not to indict a police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner EPA In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests People gather in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Buiding during a protest in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Police make arrests after protesters rallying against a grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner attempted to block traffic at the intersection of 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue near Times Square in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Demonstrators stage a 'die-in' at an intersection during a demonstration against recent grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, in Boston, Massachusetts In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests A demonstrator protests recent grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, at Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Police struggle with protesters as they try to get closer to a building during a protest against the decision by a Staten Island grand jury not to indict a police officer who used a chokehold in the death of Eric Garner, in Boston, Massachusetts In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests State Police officers guard the State House during a protest against the decision by a Staten Island grand jury not to indict a police officer who used a chokehold in the death of Eric Garner, in Boston, Massachusetts In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests A protester dressed as Santa Claus holds up his hands while marching during a protest against the decision by a Staten Island grand jury not to indict a police officer who used a chokehold in the death of Eric Garner, in Boston, Massachusetts In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Protesters hold up their hands before police as they block traffic on the West Side Highway during demonstrations in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests The Lower Manhattan skyline, including One World Trade Center, is seen in the background as protesters, demanding justice for Eric Garner In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Demonstrators protest a grand jury decision not to charge a New York policeman in the choking death of Eric Garner, in New York In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests At the start of the march protestors walk down West Market street to Broad street. The Newark AntiViolence Coalition and the People's Organization for Progress march, in Newark, protest the Eric Garner Grand Jury decision not to indict the New York City Police Department officers for Grander's death In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Police clash with protesters on the West Side Highway in New York after a grand jury decided to not indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo over the death of Eric Garner Getty In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Demonstrators block traffic at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in protest at the grand jury's decision Getty Images In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Ashley Reid of Atlanta protests at historic Auburn Avenue near the tomb of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., against the decision of a grand jury not to indict a police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner EPA In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Protesters march near the Space Needle during protests in Seattle, Washington EPA In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Demonstrators chant during protests in Seattle, Washington EPA In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Students at Emory University participate in a mass 'die in' during a protest on campus against the decision of a grand jury not to indict a police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner EPA In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Students at Emory University participate in a mass 'die in' during a protest on campus against the grand jury's decision EPA In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests People take part in a protest in support of Eric Garner at the 6th Avenue, New York Getty Images In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests Demonstrators march in protest on the streets of St. Louis, Missouri AFP In pictures: Protests over death of Eric Garner Eric Garner protests A man holds a banner as he takes part during a protest in support of Eric Garner at Union Square Getty Images