Protests continue in US over black man’s death at police hands
Washington, Jan 28 (EFE).- Cities across the United States witnessed additional protests Saturday following the release of a video showing police in Memphis, Tennessee, beating a 29-year-old African American man who later died of his injuries.
In Boston, around 200 people protested in front of the Massachusetts State House, while hundreds marched in Atlanta to demand justice for Tyre Nichols.
Demonstrations took place Friday in those cities as well as in Washington, New York and Los Angeles, among others, in the wake of the publication of the video by the Memphis police.
On the night of Jan. 7, black officers from the department’s SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) unit pulled Nichols over for what they said was reckless driving.
The traffic stop led to two confrontations between Nichols and the officers, who are seen on the video hitting and kicking him while he was lying on the ground in handcuffs.
Nichols died three days later.
The officers involved in the incident were fired and five of them have been indicted for second-degree murder. The Memphis police department announced Saturday that it was disbanding the SCORPION unit.
Chanting “No Justice, No Peace,” protesters in Memphis blocked a major highway Friday night, but there were no reports of injury, property damage or arrests.
Police in New York arrested several people during a demonstration Friday night in Times Square, while Los Angeles police said that protesters tried to vandalize police headquarters.
EFE bpm/dr
