[ad_1]
The specialised police unit that included at least some of the Memphis officers involved in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols was disbanded on Saturday, the police department announced, as more protests were planned in US cities a day after a harrowing video of the attack was released.
He was hospitalised and died of his injuries three days later.
Protesters march in front of a police car on Saturday, 28 January 2023. Source: AAP / AP
The release of the clips on Friday sparked protests in Memphis and elsewhere and prompted numerous cities to prepare for additional demonstrations on Saturday.
Mr Nichols’ family and officials, including President Joe Biden, have expressed outrage and sorrow but have urged protesters to remain peaceful. Demonstrations so far have been free of violence.
In Memphis on Saturday, protesters chanting, “Whose streets? Our streets!” angrily catcalled a police car that was monitoring the march, with several making obscene gestures.
Protesters gather in front of police headquarters while marching on Saturday, 28 January 2023, in Memphis. Source: AAP / AP
Some cheered loudly when they learned of the disbandment of SCORPION.
The unit, the Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in our Neighborhoods, was formed in October 2021 to concentrate on crime hot spots. Critics say such specialised teams can be prone to abusive tactics.
The initial traffic stop was for reckless driving, though the police chief has said the cause for the stop has not been substantiated.
Porchse Miller, left, wipes a tear from her face during a protest, on Saturday, 28 January 2023, in Atlanta. Source: AAP / AP
Friends and family say Mr Nichols was an affable, talented skateboarder who grew up in Sacramento, California, and moved to Memphis before the coronavirus pandemic.
The father of a 4-year-old child, Mr Nichols worked at FedEx and had recently enrolled in a photography class.
The 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, galvanised worldwide protests over racial injustice.
[ad_2]
Source link