Washington Square Park demonstrators stand in solidarity of Tyre Nichols

Organizers said they believe in the strength in numbers and that they will not stop until their voices are heard.

News 12 Staff

Jan 29, 2023, 3:14 AM

Updated 615 days ago

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Hundreds of people gathered in Washington Square Park Saturday night to stand in solidarity of Tyre Nichols, the Black motorist who died after he was beaten by Memphis police officers during a traffic stop.
Many of them said they came out for George Floyd, Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin. They said they are tired of this cycle of violence and are demanding change.
Memphis police officers stopped 29-year-old Nichols on Jan. 7 for reckless driving.
The Memphis Police Department released bodycam footage that showed the officers beating Nichols, tasing him and kicking him in the head.
The video has since been widely shared across the internet.
The department terminated the officers who were involved and now face multiple charges that include second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
The release of the video on Friday night prompted a demonstration in Times Square shortly after.
Organizers said they believe in the strength in numbers and that they will not stop until their voices are heard.
"Just hearing another Black man calling for his mom as he's brutally assaulted and beaten and berated, it's just disgusting. We're just here to shine light on that and also just say enough is enough. How many more times do we have to come out here before we stop Black blood being spilt on the streets?" said Timothy Hunter, of Strategy For Black Lives.
Some demonstrators said the bodycam video was too gruesome for them to watch and images of Nichols' life should be shared instead of his trauma.