Tyre Nichols case: Americans protest after footage is released - NPR

Demonstrators are seen extracurricular the nation's superior connected Friday evening, pursuing the merchandise of footage showing the constabulary sidesplitting of Tyre Nichols. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images hide caption

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Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Demonstrators are seen extracurricular the nation's superior connected Friday evening, pursuing the merchandise of footage showing the constabulary sidesplitting of Tyre Nichols.

Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Numerous mostly peaceful protests were held crossed the U.S. pursuing Friday's merchandise of assemblage camera footage of the sidesplitting of Tyre Nichols. All 5 officers progressive successful Nichols' apprehension were fired and charged with second-degree murder, battle and kidnapping earlier this week.

Protests successful immoderate cities led to the calling of the National Guard, portion others affected transit.

In Memphis, wherever Nichols died, a radical of demonstrators gathered astatine a downtown parkland and past took to the streets, shutting down the I-55 span implicit the Mississippi River betwixt Memphis and West Memphis. They chanted "no justice, nary peace" and "justice for Tyre," closing the span for astir 3 hours earlier peacefully disbanding.

In different parts of Memphis, radical gathered successful churches oregon tiny groups to bespeak connected the wrenching and somber infinitesimal for the city.

Officials shut down Grand Central Station successful anticipation of protests successful New York City, where demonstrators had gathered successful Times Square. A protestation and march successful Boston halted traffic.

A protestation successful downtown Los Angeles became tense erstwhile a tiny radical protesters gathered extracurricular of Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, which was blocked by constabulary successful riot gear, according to the Los Angeles Times. Protesters tore municipality a protective barricade astir the building, but determination were nary contiguous reports of arrests.

Other small, but mostly peaceful protests, were besides held successful Washington, D.C., successful Seattle, Detroit and Atlanta, arsenic good arsenic successful different cities.

Officials had been preparing for nationwide protests successful the days starring up to the merchandise of the footage. President Joe Biden called the videos "horrific," portion Antonio Romanucci, a lawyer representing the Nichols family, said the 29-year-old was treated similar a "human piñata."

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a authorities of emergency this week, and members of the National Guard can beryllium seen successful Atlanta, attempting to curb protesters. People could besides beryllium seen protesting extracurricular the White House hours aft Biden urged citizens "not to edifice to unit oregon destruction."

Also connected Friday, White House officials besides spoke with mayors successful much than a twelve large cities — specified arsenic Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago — to little them connected national assistance.

Nichols' family, including his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his stepfather, Rodney Wells, asked protesters to stay peaceful.

"I don't privation america burning up cities, tearing up our streets, due to the fact that that's not what my lad stood for," Wells said at a vigil for her lad connected Thursday.

Organizers are readying vigils, marches and demonstrations crossed the U.S. implicit the weekend.

Reporting from NPR's Debbie Elliott was included successful this post.