Outraged citizens poured into the streets of Memphis and several other cities across the country on Friday (Jan. 27) after police released bodycam and surveillance footage of five cops brutally beating Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop.
The heartbreaking videos showed former Memphis officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith as they kicked, punched, pepper sprayed, tased and battered him with their batons. Nichols, 29, suffered from cardiac arrest and kidney failure. He passed away three days later. The five disgraced patrolmen were terminated and charged with second-degree murder, assault and kidnapping.
RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, Nichols’ mother and stepfather, held a press conference on Friday alongside their attorney Ben Crump. They pleaded for protesters not to cause destruction as they gathered. “I want each and every one of you to protest in peace,” said RowVaughn. “I don’t want us burning up our city, tearing up the streets because that is not what my son stood for. If you guys are here for Tyre and me, then you will protest peacefully,” added the grief-stricken mother.
“We want peace. We do not want any type of uproar. We do not want any type of disturbance. We want peaceful protests, that’s what the family wants. We need to do this peacefully,” Rodney added.
According to NBC News, scores of demonstrators were observed with signs that read “The people demand: End police terror” and “Justice for Tyre Nichols. Jail killer cops!” in Nichols’ hometown, as well as Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Detroit and other cities.
Government officials braced for the worst, with many calling in the National Guard, deploying police in riot gear, and some, like Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, declaring a state of emergency. In the end, only a handful of people were arrested in connection with the protests across the country.
View clips of protesters gathered across the country below.
Tonight’s peaceful protest in Memphis coming to an end with demonstrators enjoying pizza together. #TyreNichols pic.twitter.com/3eODN8Lfrg
— Priscilla Thompson (@PriscillaWT) January 28, 2023
Images from a protest in Midtown Manhattan following the release of the video depicting the violent beating of #TyreNichols for three minutes at the hands of five Memphis Police Department Officers. (Photos by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) pic.twitter.com/LR85JAgOWt
— Michael M. Santiago (@msantiagophotos) January 28, 2023
#BLM protest NYC After #TyreNichols Video Release pic.twitter.com/U0BipqNmjm
— Matrix Memez 🎩 (@MatrixMemez) January 28, 2023
WARNING LANGUAGE: Times Square at complete standstill. Protest for #TyreNichols pic.twitter.com/4ahwbAdFoR
— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) January 28, 2023
“They executed him!”
Protests erupt across the country in wake of video showing brutal police beating of Tyre Nichols in TN. Protesters in Boston last night called for justice.
Details on another demonstration today in Boston on @boston25 from 8-10 AM pic.twitter.com/eIDrqYtxuQ
— Julianne Lima (@JulianneLimaTV) January 28, 2023
Protest in #Atlanta against brutality in support of #TyreNichols @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/LZCLbr7uWr
— Courtney Francisco (@CFranciscoWSB) January 28, 2023
Happening now: small group of protesters, marching down Tremont Street in Boston, with traffic stuck behind them to protest the police killing of Tyre Nichols #WBZ pic.twitter.com/1t9PTgPhFG
— Kristina Rex (@KristinaRex) January 28, 2023
Protest in #MEMPHIS has taken to downtown city streets #TyreNichols#Memphis pic.twitter.com/zkYW6RC8qH
— Valid N Viral Ent (@Patienc33254862) January 28, 2023
#NewYorkCity protests clips from last night. #TyreNichols pic.twitter.com/IQZwJcptyp
— BlackMarzMedia🇺🇸✊🏾⚡️ (@BlackMarzMedia) January 28, 2023
At least 3 arrests we’re made during a protest for Tyre Nichols. NYPD cop cars windows were broken out. pic.twitter.com/R9ykSNNjae
— The Master Plan (@MasterPlan216) January 28, 2023
“People who are saying it should be a peaceful protest, are telling you that they don’t listen to peaceful protests”
~ Tyre Nichols#TyreNichols #Protest #MemphisPolice pic.twitter.com/hH4StwqJaq
— Red Redact 🇺🇸🇨🇦 (@TheRedOperation) January 28, 2023
Biden calls for “peaceful protests” to the #TyreNichols release pic.twitter.com/jibpGJkF6b
— Matrix Memez 🎩 (@MatrixMemez) January 28, 2023
Protesters begin to march in Times Square enraged by the death of #TyreNichols #nyc #protest pic.twitter.com/BpWZiT20BD
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) January 28, 2023
“You put on a uniform, and what you think they are brothers? No, they are the slave patrol.” – Chivona Newsome speaking at Union Square protest in New York City Following release of #TyreeNichols #TyreNichols tapes
Video by Ken Lopez (FNTV https://t.co/MKhP0GoHyj) pic.twitter.com/2SAdiEt18w
— Oliya Scootercaster 📽️ (@ScooterCasterNY) January 28, 2023
Protest over the Tyre Nichols video have started in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/1C5prFuZf7
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) January 28, 2023
Protest for #TyreNichols in Times Square pic.twitter.com/EqTEOR7RLh
— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) January 28, 2023