After Tyre Nichols' death, demonstrators throughout the US condemn police brutality

 

In response to the revelation of the video showing the vicious beating of Tyre Nichols, 29, by Memphis police, protesters flocked to the streets once more over the weekend, and more meetings and vigils are scheduled for Sunday.

In the footage of the January 7 encounter, which starts with a traffic check and shows officers repeatedly striking the young Black man with batons, punching him, and kicking him - including at one point while his hands are secured behind his back - Nichols can be heard yelling for his mother.

Before a stretcher arrived, 23 minutes had passed while he lay still on the ground in handcuffs. After being admitted to the hospital, Nichols passed away three days later.

According to Nichols' family attorney Ben Crump, "all of these policemen breached their oath" on Sunday, Dana Bash of CNN reported. "They broke their promise to uphold and serve. Watch the video: Was anyone attempting to support and look out for Tyre Nichols?

Since Nichols' passing, the backlash has happened rather quickly. In connection with the death of Nichols, the five Black Memphis police officers who were engaged in the beating were dismissed and charged with murder and kidnapping. The squad they were a part of was disbanded, and state legislators from the Memphis region started formulating legislation for police reform.

According to Crump, the swift firing, arrest, and publishing of the video of the police officers should serve as a "blueprint" for future handling of claims of police brutality. He praised Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis for appointing the officers and filing charges in less than 20 days.

"We want you to respond as quickly as possible when you witness police officers harming citizens. As the chief mentioned, the community wants to see it, but we also need to see it when it's White police officers," said Crump.

Memphis police disband the SCORPION unit following the fatal assault

According to the Shelby County district attorney, the five former Memphis police officers who were arrested have been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping among other crimes.

The five officers, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin, and Desmond Mills Jr., are Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin. They will be charged on February 17.

In a statement released Friday night, the attorney for Mills Jr., one of the officers charged, said that his client did not violate any boundaries "that others crossed" during the altercation.