The Memphis Police Department, Tennessee – USA, on January 27 (US time) released a video recording the scene of 5 policemen beating the Tire Nichols victim council. The incident on January 7, showed that five police officers tried to arrest Mr. Nichols, 29 years old. They tried to take out the young black man with a stun gun.
When the young man ran away, the police team gave chase. The victim then repeatedly cried for his mother and groaned as the police team punched and beat him with batons. The victim died only 3 days after being beaten by the police group.
Hours after the video was released, crowds of protesters began pouring down the streets of Memphis and onto the bridge connecting Tennessee with Arkansas. They chanted slogans “no justice, no peace” and “demand justice for Tire”. The bridge was then closed to traffic for about three hours, before the crowd dispersed peacefully.
Sheet USA Today At least 11 cities across the United States have seen protests since the Memphis Police Department released a video of five officers beating to death black youth Tire Nichols.
Many protests for justice for black victims Nichols took place across the United States. Photo: AP
Many protesters also gathered in front of the Chicago Police Department, Illinois, to express their displeasure over the death of Mr. Nichols. The crowd also called attention to the case of Anthony Alvarez, who was shot dead by Chicago police in 2021.
Protesters also gathered in Atlanta, Georgia and New York City, New York state. The crowd chanted and held up the slogans “Justice for Tire Nichols” and “Stop Police Violence”.
“The protests were relatively peaceful, but there were also some arrests with extremists” – newspaper USA Today let me know.
Meanwhile, the sheet Daily Mail (UK) said many protests turned violent and police across the US arrested many extremists.
Many protests demanding justice for black victims Nichols have turned violent in the US. Photo: Reuters
Activists have planned to hold further rallies in Memphis and many other major US cities, including New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Boston and Portland.
Nichols’ family as well as US officials have urged protesters not to act violently.
“I hope the protesters will be peaceful. If you are here for me and Tire Nichols, please protest peacefully,” – Ms. RowVaughn Wells, mother of victim Nichols, appealed.
RowVaughn Wells, mother of victim Tire Nichols, called for peaceful protesters. Photo: AP.
US President Joe Biden earlier also demanded a quick, complete and transparent investigation into the incident, and called for people to protest peacefully.
This is not the first case of American protesters taking to the streets to react to the police’s treatment of people of color. Remember, after the incident of black man George Floyd, being killed by police in 2020, sparked protests across the US and even spread to other countries.