At least 83 arrests were made overnight as protests flared in Times Square, on the West Side Highway and at Grand Central Station

Protesters took to streets Wednesday night and Thursday morning to protest a grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo

Protesters enraged by a grand jury's decision not to indict the officer whose chokehold killed Eric Garner took their cause to the New York City streets overnight, bringing traffic to a standstill and resulting in 83 arrests.

Hundreds chanted 'I can't breathe' as they marched through Midtown Manhattan or laid their bodies end to end on the city's West Side Highway.

The protests, which carried on through to Thursday morning, remained civil and peaceful and no injuries were reported. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said today that almost all of the arrests were for disorderly conduct.

Demonstrators clogged Lincoln Tunnel, staged 'die-ins' in the middle of Grand Central Station and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge on foot as pockets of demonstrators across America's largest metropolis sought to spread their simple message: black lives matter.

Scroll down for videos

In the early hours of Thursday, a group of protesters rallying against a grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner occupies the eastbound traffic lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge

Early on Thursday morning, protesters convened on Brooklyn Bridge, where at least 1,000 demonstrators blocked traffic and moved their message from Manhattan and into the borough of Brooklyn

Protesters remained civil and police officers largely gave them the space to make their message clear. The NYPD reported 83 arrests were made overnight

Police also said on Thursday that an investigaton was underway after a cop’s own personal vehicle was set on fire outside the precinct in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In the early hours of Thursday, 1,000 demonstrators took their cause out of Manhattan and into the adjoining borough of Brooklyn as they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge en masse.

Prior to that, a pocket of protesters blocked on of the tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel, which connects Manhattan to New Jersey to the west.

Others across town had planned to disrupt the annual Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony-- where protesters and revelers alike thronged the busy Midtown streets - but police ensured the Garner supporters got nowhere near the world famous tree.

Not satisfied: In his first public comments, Pantaleo said he prays for Garner's family and hopes they accept his condolences. Here, protesters swarm the Brooklyn Bridge

Snarling traffic: Demonstrators over the grand jury decision block the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel, which connects Manhattan to New Jersey

Demonstrators block the Lincoln Tunnel. US Attorney General Eric Holder asked protesters to be peaceful and launched a federal probe into the choking death of Eric Garner

Opposing sides: Wednesday's protests in New York were civil, with about 30 arrests by mid-evening

Let them be: Police were clearly showing restraint and allowing demonstrators to express their views

New York City Police officers detain a demonstrator protesting against the verdict announced in the shooting death of Michael Brown, as they block traffic in near the Lincoln Tunnel. Only around 30 arrests were made Wednesday

While the marches undoubtedly annoyed many, it remained largely civil and non-destructive

Halt: New York City police officers stop demonstrators from entering the Lincoln Tunnel

Wednesday's protests in New York were civil with police were clearly showing restraint and allowing demonstrators to express their views.

Marchers snaked through midtown Manhattan streets, chanting and bumping up against throngs of tourists in New York for the holiday season.

A total of around 100 protesters easily shut down the West Side Highway as baton-wielding police pushed them northward around 9:30pm.

In Times Square, a crowd of at least 200 people chanted, 'No indictment is denial. We want a public trial.'

Meredith Reitman, a 40-year-old white woman from Queens, held a sign that said, 'White silence (equals) white consent.'

Dispersed: Pockets of protesters appeared throughout Manhattan on Wednesday night, including on the West Side Highway (pictured)

Moving en masse: Demonstrators on the West Side Highway stopped traffic with shear numbers and moved north, reportedly headed for the Lincoln Tunnel

Shut down: NYPD police stand guard on the West Side Highway as protesters brought traffic to a standstill after the jury verdict in the death of Eric Garner. As the protesters later dispersed, they moved toward the Lincoln Tunnel

Blocked traffic with their bodies: People lie on the middle of the West Side Highway during the protest

She said the decision not to indict shocked her, even though some might think she was being naive to expect an indictment.

'We should hope for justice and be surprised every time it doesn't happen,' Reitman said.

About 400 protesters marched through midtown Manhattan, tying up traffic.

They walked from Times Square to Rockefeller Center, where the annual tree-lighting ceremony was held on Wednesday night.

Police presence was heavy as hundreds of protesters stood behind rows of police barricades, but the annual tradition went on without a hitch.

Lighting up the night: Lit up by roadside lights, protesters march in a line heading north up the West Side Highway with the Hudson River seen in the distance

Hands up: A total of around 100 protesters easily shut down the West Side Highway

Showing their support: A motorist, right, shows support for people marching during the protest

About 400 protesters marched through midtown Manhattan, tying up traffic. They were heading from Times Square to Rockefeller Center

Non-violent: The protests, including die-ins held at Grand Central Station and here in Midtown, were non-violent and involved no destruction of property

Demanding attention: A line of protester walk through traffic on New York City's 6th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan

Still other protesters staged a die-in at busy Grand Central Station just as evening rush hour was hitting its peak.

Dozens of them were lying on the floor of Grand Central Terminal as some onlookers paused to gawk and take pictures on Wednesday evening in the main part of the terminal, near the famous clock.

Other commuters just walked around them. As the protesters lay on the floor, an onlooker spit in their direction.

Uniformed and plainclothes officers stood by. Before leaving, the protesters stood up to chant 'I can't breathe' and 'Eric Garner.'

The MTA reported no train delays as a result.

In a direct and sometimes passionate speech from Staten Island this evening, de Blasio made his dismay about a jury's decision not to charge Officer Daniel Pantaleo abundantly clear Wednesday.

A man is arrested by police as he takes part in a protest on 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Several were arrested in the protests and some screamed their names as they were hauled away

Arrests: Despite the non-violent nature of the widespread demonstrations, some protesters did have heated run-ins with police

De Blasio was among several prominent political figures to address the decision. President Obama himself went so far as to concede police racial bias does exist.

Obama also revealed he'd spoken with Attorney General Eric Holder about the case. Holder on Wednesday evening announced the Department of Justice's civil rights wing had launched an investigation into the death of 43-year-old Staten Island father of six Eric Garner.

An emotional de Blasio said the decision of a grand jury not to indict the officer who who put Eric Garner into a fatal chokehold was, 'A very painful day for so many New Yorkers.'

In a deeply personal and heartfelt address, the mayor, who is married to an African American woman, said that when he spoke to Eric Garner's bereaved father, 'I couldn't help but immediately think of what it would mean to me to lose (his son) Dante.'

With barely a word of support for the NYPD or their cleared officer, de Blasio's used his own son to explain that he knows the struggle and frustration that black people feel when dealing with police in New York City.

'We've had to talk to Dante for years about dangers he may face,' said de Blasio about the infamous 'talk' many parents of African American or mixed-race children have nationwide.

Face off: A man faces off with a police officer in New York during a protest against the grand jury decision in the Eric Garner case

Black lives matter: Protesters outside Rockefeller Center hold up 'Black lives matter signs' as a police officer looks on

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting is an extremely popular event that sees thousands gathered in Midtown Manhattan, making it a highly visible place of protest for those outraged over the Eric Garner decision that came hours earlier

Show did go on: Police presence was heavy as hundreds of protesters stood behind rows of police barricades, but the annual tradition went on without a hitch

Making themselves known: A group of protesters with signs makes their way up a congested Fifth Avenue sidewalk near Rockefeller Center as they rally against the decision not to indict the police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner during a ceremony to light the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

Disruption: Officials stand guard near Radio City Music Hall, where protesters gathered on the perimeter of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony after it was announced that the New York City police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner is not being indicted

'I can't breathe!': Protesters on Wednesday have adopted the Ferguson protest chant of 'Hands up, don't shoot' and added 'I can't breathe' as a nod to what Garner said to police in the moments before his death by chokehold in July

'I've had to worry over the years..Is my child safe? And not just from harsh realities…crimes and violence…are they safe from the people they want to have faith in (cops)?'

Calling it a 'national moment of pain', the mayor said that racial profiling and distrust between African Americans and the police is 'a problem for all New Yorkers, it is a problem for all Americans. It's all our problem.'

Clearly unhappy with the grand jury's decision to clear Pantaleo for the bungled arrest during which he was videoed putting Garner into a chokehold, de Blasio called for change.

'Anyone who cares about the American value of justice should understand that this is a moment that change must happen,' said the mayor.

Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, de Blasio's displeasure was clear when he said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'

However, de Blasio warned those seeking that justice not to descend to the level of some of the rioters that marred the peaceful protests seen in Ferguson when Officer Darren Wilson was cleared.

The MTA said the no train delays occurred as a result of the 'die-ins' held at Grand Central Station on Wednesday during rush hour

Powerful: Protesters lay down in Grand Central in response to grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Eric Garner's death

Non-violent: Protesters gathered in Grand Central Terminal to protest the failure of a grand jury to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner

Continued protests: A 'die-in' protest against the decision of a grand jury not to indict a police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner, in the main hall of Grand Central Terminal in New York on Wednesday evening

'You will not sully his name with violence,' said de Blasio mentioning a specific request of Eric Garner's father, Ben.

'It’s all our problem. And anyone who believes in the values of this country should feel a call to action right now,' added de Blasio.

'It is a moment that change must happen.'

The mayor also said that he had spoken with NYPD Commissioner Bratton about retraining the entire police force.

'It should be self-evident, (but) our history requires us to say 'black lives matter'.

The short address at times felt like a line in the sand being drawn by de Blasio, especially when he quoted his commissioner, Bill Bratton on weeding out those who do not belong in law enforcement.

'The department will act aggressively to ensure that any officer who is not meant to be in this work no longer is.'

Indeed, he left the air hanging with the question of whether Officer Pantaleo will remain with the NYPD.

'A DEEPLY EMOTIONAL DAY': NYC MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO'S STATEMENT 'This is a deeply emotional day – for the Garner Family, and all New Yorkers. His death was a terrible tragedy that no family should have to endure. This is a subject that is never far from my family's minds – or our hearts. And Eric Garner's death put a spotlight on police-community relations and civil rights – some of most critical issues our nation faces today. Statement: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke earlier in the day about plans to equip NYPD officers with body cameras in the wake of the Michael Brown controversy in Ferguson 'Today's outcome is one that many in our city did not want. Yet New York City owns a proud and powerful tradition of expressing ourselves through non-violent protest. We trust that those unhappy with today's grand jury decision will make their views known in the same peaceful, constructive way. We all agree that demonstrations and free speech are valuable contributions to debate, and that violence and disorder are not only wrong – but hurt the critically important goals we are trying to achieve together. 'These goals – of bringing police and community closer together and changing the culture of law enforcement -- are why we have introduced so many reforms this year. It starts at the top with Commissioner Bratton - a strong, proven change agent. We have dramatically reduced the overuse and abuse of stop-and-frisk. We have initiated a comprehensive plan to retrain the entire NYPD to reduce the use of excessive force and to work with the community. We have changed our marijuana policy to reduce low-level arrests, and we have launched a new pilot program for body cameras for officers to improve transparency and accountability. 'These are the long term reforms we are making to ensure we don't endure tragedies like this one again in the future. But we also know that this chapter is not yet complete. The grand jury is but one part of the process. There will still be an NYPD internal investigation. And we know the US Attorney is continuing her investigation. Should the federal government choose to act, we stand ready to cooperate. 'Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – one of our nation's most profound thinkers on these issues – taught us something very simple: 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' The problem of police-community relations and civil rights is not just an issue for people of color – or young people – or people who get stopped by police. This is a fundamental issue for every American who cares about justice. 'All of us must work together to make this right – to work for justice – and to build the kind of city – and nation – we need to be.' Advertisement

High emotions: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to the media during a news conference in Staten Island after a New York City grand jury decided not to charge white police officer Daniel Pantaleo who killed unarmed black man Eric Garner with a chokehold

Stern: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio arrives to a news conference at the Staten Island borough of New York on Wednesday evening

No charges: A grand jury in New York has declined to indict an NYPD officer in the death of Eric Garner who passed away after being placed in a chokehold in July on Staten Island

Earlier, the widow of Eric Garner had exclaimed 'Oh my God, are you serious?' when she discovered the verdict, while de Blasio issued an earlier, equally emotional statement and declared that 'Today's outcome is one that many in our city did not want.'

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said that she was 'shocked' by the grand jury's decision saying that 'nobody unarmed should die on a New York City street corner for suspected low-level offences.'

Congressman Charlie Rangel was another elected New York City official who expressed frustration in the decision.

'Which side was the district attorney on? Was he seeking truth and justice in terms of the homicide?' said Rangel.

President Obama broke off from a planned speech to address the verdict saying, 'Police brutality is an American problem.'

After the decision was released it was announced the NYPD was recalling all officers from non-essential court business in anticipation of potential city-wide disturbances.

Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan said the grand jury found 'no reasonable cause' to bring charges against Garner, who was selling loose, un-taxed cigarettes.

In the neighborhood where father-of-six Garner died, people reacted with shouts, chants of 'Eric Garner' and expressions of angry disbelief.

Garner's father, Benjamin Carr, urged calm and said the ruling made no sense.

The grand jury could have considered a range of charges, from murder to a lesser offense such as reckless endangerment.

'I am actually astonished based on the evidence of the videotape, and the medical examiner, that this grand jury at this time wouldn't indict for anything,' said a lawyer for Garner's family, Jonathan Moore.

Remarks: President Barack Obama spoke about the grand jury decision that cleared a white New York City police officer in the videotaped chokehold death of an unarmed black man

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WILL INVESTIGATE ERIC GARNER'S DEATH The Justice Department will conduct a federal investigation into the chokehold death of an unarmed black man after a grand jury in New York City declined to indict the white police officer who applied the move, Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday. The investigation will look for potential civil rights investigations in the July 17 death of Eric Garner, 43, who was confronted by the officer on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. A video shot by an onlooker showed Garner telling officers to leave him alone as they tried to arrest him and one then responded by wrapping his arm around Garner's neck in what appeared to be a chokehold. Calling the death a 'tragedy,' Holder said it was one of 'several recent incidents that have tested the sense of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities they are charged to serve and protect.' The death occurred weeks before the deadly police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, a case also under investigation by the Justice Department and in which a local grand jury last week also cleared an officer of wrongdoing. The cases together have contributed to a national discussion about use of excessive force by police and their treatment of minorities. 'This is not a New York issue or a Ferguson issue alone,' Holder told reporters late Wednesday. 'Those who have protested peacefully across our great nation following the grand jury's decision in Ferguson have made that clear.' Obama says he discussed the grand jury's decision Wednesday with Attorney General Eric Holder. A DOJ probe into the Eric Garner case will be conducted by the department's civil rights division and the U.S. Attorney's Brooklyn office. Here, Attorney General Eric Holder speaks during the opening session of The White House Tribal Nations Conference on December 3 Advertisement

The decision, which comes nine days after the Ferguson grand jury declined to indict Officer Darren Wilson, threatens to increase already fraught racial tensions nationwide and lead to more protests.

The death of the father-of-five sparked national outrage just weeks before the fatal shooting of Michael Brown amid accusations of police brutality against African Americans.

The decision by the grand jury panel means that a majority of them did not think there was probable cause a crime was committed by Pantaleo, who was the only NYPD officer facing indictment.

Two other officers at the scene were offered immunity if they testified before the grand jury.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he was canceling his first scheduled appearance as mayor at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting this evening and would address the city instead.

His office issued a statement calling Garner's death a 'tragedy' and a 'deeply emotional day – for the Garner Family, and all New Yorkers.'

Fearing a repeat of the riots witnessed in Ferguson, de Blasio repeated the city's commitment to non-violent protests.

'Today's outcome is one that many in our city did not want. Yet New York City owns a proud and powerful tradition of expressing ourselves through non-violent protest.'

When informed of the decision, Eric Garner's incredulous widow Esaw Garner reacted with shock.

'H*** no I don't accept his apologies': The mourning widow of Eric Garner spoke out Wednesday night following a grand jury's decision not to indict Daniel Pantaleo for killing her husband with a chokehold and said she does not accept the officer's apology

Garner's mother Gwen Carr addresses reporters and expressed her shock over the decision. 'I don’t know what video they were looking at,' she said. 'It wasn’t the same one the rest of the world was looking at'

Reverend Al Sharpton addresses reporters at the press event. The decision in Eric Garner's case has further fueled flames of unrest in communities who feel police racial bias is a rampant problem in America, where they say the legal system is tipped in police favor

'Oh my God, are you serious?' said Mrs Garner to The New York Daily News.

'I'm very disappointed. You can see in the video that he (the cop) was dead wrong!'

Cellphone footage from Garner's arrest showed Pantaleo grappling with the larger man, ultimately placing his arms around his neck in a banned chokehold manoeuvre.

On the ground, Garner was clearly heard pleading, 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe' as officers handcuffed him.

He lost consciousness at the scene and was pronounced dead later that day at hospital.

'The grand jury kept interviewing witnesses but you didn't need witnesses,' said Esaw to the News.

'You can be a witness for yourself. Oh my God, this s--- is crazy.'

The Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide but police union members have always denied Pantaleo used a chokehold.

The medical examiner concluded the chokehold was the cause of death.

Officer Pantaleo issued a statement following the announcement of the grand jury decision to say he felt 'very bad.'

'I became a police officer to help people and to protect those who can't protect themselves,' said Pantaleo.

Tensions: A man yells and chant slogans near the site of Eric Garner's death after it was announced that the officer that killed him is not being indicted

Makeshift memorial: People stand around outside the beauty salon where Eric Garner was killed on July 17 by a police officer who put him in a choke hold

Emotions: Two women hug near the site of Eric Garner's death on Wednesday following the announcement that NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo will not face charges

Distraught: Benjamin Carr, the father of Eric Garner, talks on the phone and to reporters after a grand jury's decision not to indict the NYPD officer who put Eric Garner in a chokehold

Another grand jury: The decision comes just a week and a half after a grand jury in Missouri decided not to indict Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown

Staten Island: Protestor Linder Hampton, center, wears a shirt reading 'I can't Breathe' as she speaks to reporters after the grand jury's decision

Anonymous: The decision by the Staten Island grand jury not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo threatened to add to the tensions that have simmered in the city since the July 17 death of Eric Garner. It also prompted Pantaleo's first public comments on the death

Incredulous: Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan said the grand jury found 'no reasonable cause' to bring charges

'It is never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr. Garner.

'My family and I include him and his family in our prayers and I hope that they will accept my personal condolences for their loss.'

Pantaleo's attorney told CNN that his client testified for two hours in front of the grand jury on November 21

'He was anxious and anxiety-filled prior to that,' said Stuart London last month. 'He is cautiously optimistic and knows that his fate is in their hands now,' added Pantaleo's lawyer.

Jonathan Moore, an attorney for Garner's family, said he was told of the grand jury's decision. Two law enforcement officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the case, confirmed the officer was not indicted.

'I am actually astonished based on the evidence of the video tape, and the medical examiner, that this grand jury at this time wouldn't indict for anything, is really just astonishing,' Moore said.

The grand jury could have considered a range of charges, from murder to a lesser offense such as reckless endangerment.

Garner's family planned a news conference later in the day with the Rev. Al Sharpton. The Staten Island District Attorney's office didn't immediately respond to a call.

A video shot by an onlooker and widely viewed on the Internet showed the 43-year-old Garner telling a group of police officers to leave him alone and raise his hands in the air as they tried to arrest him.

Pantaleo responded by wrapping his arm around Garner's neck in an apparent chokehold, which is banned under NYPD policy.

The heavyset Garner, who had asthma, was heard repeatedly gasping, 'I can't breathe!'

A second video surfaced that showed police and paramedics appearing to make no effort to revive Garner while he lay motionless on the ground. He later died at a hospital.

Restraint: Officers of the NYPD tend to Eric Garner after he was arrested on July 17 on Staten Island - with one officer (right) seen checking for his pulse

Cuffed: Througout his physical distress Eric Garner was kept in handcuffs and it is possible to see them in this screen grab (left) from cellphone video shot at the scene

No charges: Officer Pantaleo (center, wearing green) will not be indicted for the death of Eric Garner in July

As with 18-year-old Michael Brown's death in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, the Garner case sparked protests, accusations of racist policing and calls for federal prosecutors to intervene. But unlike the Missouri protests, the demonstrations in New York remained mostly peaceful. The case also prompted Police Commissioner William Bratton to order officers at the nation's largest police department to undergo retraining on use of force.

The medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide and found that a chokehold contributed to it. A forensic pathologist hired by Garner's family, Dr. Michael Baden, agreed with those findings, saying there was hemorrhaging on Garner's neck indicative of neck compressions.

Police union officials and Pantaleo's lawyer have argued that the officer used a takedown move taught by the police department, not a chokehold, because he was resisting arrest and that Garner's poor health was the main reason he died.

While details on the grand jurors were not disclosed, Staten Island is the most politically conservative of the city's five boroughs and home to many police and firefighters. The panel began hearing evidence in late September, including the video, autopsy results and testimony by Pantaleo.

Pantaleo had been stripped of his gun and badge and placed on desk duty while the case was under investigation. He is likely to remain on modified duty while the NYPD conducts an internal investigation that could result in administrative charges.

In anticipation of the announcement on the grand jury decision, police officials met with community leaders on Staten Island to head off a repeat of the response in Ferguson, where a grand jury decided not to indict the white officer who shot the black teen. Demonstrations there turned violent, resulting in more than 100 arrests and destruction of 12 commercial buildings by fire.

Family man: Garner's death was officially ruled a homicide by the Medical Examiner's Office in August. His wife Esaw (left) breaks down in tears as civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton speaks at the National Action Network last week. And (right) Garner is pictured with four of his six children