Violent protests erupted Friday, Jan. 27, in Memphis, Tennessee and New York City (NYC) following the release of bodycam footage of police officers who beat up 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
The bodycam footage, which has been seen by members of Nichols' family, showed Nichols being tased, pepper-sprayed and restrained following a traffic stop on Jan. 7. Since the attack, authorities had withheld the bodycam footage for fear that it would spark protests.
Demonstrators in Bluff City chanted "say his name" while others blocked a bridge on Interstate 55 that connects Tennessee and Arkansas over the Mississippi River. Federal employees in Memphis had been told to go home early, and workers had also begun boarding up buildings.
Antifa taking advantage of new protests to burn, loot and murder
In the Big Apple, Antifa called on demonstrators to gather at various locations there and "burn it all down" as the group saw another opportunity to burn, loot and murder just like what it did in 2020 during the George Floyd riots. (Related: The political Left used George Floyd's dead body as a social justice marionette.)
In its call for New Yorkers to go out and protest, Antifa encouraged demonstrators to bring "rocks, heavy objects, pipes, spray paint, kerosene, lighters [and] umbrellas." Antifa also advised participants to "bring a knife or other tool to free illegally detained comrades."
Many protesters answered the call and took to the streets.
One male protester jumped on a police car and smashed its windshield. Officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) later tried to drag him down from the vehicle, eventually arresting him. At least three demonstrators – including the protester who destroyed the police car's windshield – were taken into custody by the NYPD Friday evening, according to NBC New York.
An NYPD police captain said officers were documenting any damage to other vehicles in the vicinity. He added that they also seized bicycles from demonstrators trying to prevent arrests from being made.
Nichols, a Black father to a four-year-old- boy, moved to Tennessee from California in February 2020 following advice from his friends to start a new life. He was pulled over by five Black officers from the Memphis Police Department (MPD) while in his car on Jan. 7, just minutes away from his home, over alleged reckless driving.
According to the MPD, "a confrontation occurred" as cops approached the car and Nichols ran away. When officers caught up with him, "another confrontation occurred" in which the five policemen beat Nichols "like a human pinata." The 29-year-old succumbed to his injuries and died on Jan. 10.
The five MPD officers were terminated by Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis following the attack. They were also charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and official oppression. Four out of the five have been released from custody on a combined $1 million bond, however.
Nichols' mother calls for peaceful protests
RowVaughn Wells, Nichols' mother, called for peaceful protests. "I don't want us burning up our cities [and] tearing up the streets because that's not what my son stood for. You can get your point across, but we don't need to tear up our cities … because we do have to live in them," she said.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams seconded Wells, saying: "My message to New Yorkers is to respect the wishes of Nichols' mother. If you need to protest, do it peacefully. We should be able to express our sorrow and rage, but we must take all that pain and turn it into purpose."
Even President Joe Biden chimed in: "I join Tyre's family in calling for peaceful protest. Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable. Violence is destructive and against the law. It has no place in peaceful protests seeking justice."
Visit Rioting.news for more about the protests against the death of Tyre Nichols.
Watch this video about Antifa attacking NYPD officers and starting riots back in 2020.
This video is from the ZGoldenReport channel on Brighteon.com.
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