As the Tyre Nichols case and video have received national attention, activists and representatives, locally and nationally, are sharing their thoughts and demands regarding police reform.
The Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter released the following statement through Facebook: “On January 7, 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, a passionate skateboarder and beginner photographer, died after being brutally beaten by five Memphis police officers, who all happened to be Black.
“This month alone, there have been several instances of people being murdered at the hands of the police. Earlier this month in Los Angeles, police tased father and English teacher Keenan Anderson to death. A week ago, Georgia state patrol troopers killed environmental activist Manuel Esteban Paez Terán during a raid against the ‘Stop Cop City’ encampment.
“In Tyre Nichols’s case, the police officers tased, pepper-sprayed, restrained, and violently beat him for three long minutes. Tyre’s autopsy revealed that he died from the trauma of a brutal bleeding. This type of violence illustrates how irredeemable an institution policing is, primarily because it is rooted in upholding white supremacy and state-sanctioned violence, no matter the racial or gender makeup of the officer. Despite attempted reforms, police forces cannot diversify or restructure their way into becoming just institutions, and no reform will end the intentional and incessant terrorizing of Black communities. The Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter is resolute in our position that policing and prions must end.”
The full statement and demands can be found here.
In a statement, President Joe Biden, said: “Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death. It is yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and Brown Americans experience every single day.”
Biden also said that the footage would leave people “justifiably outraged.”
Due to its disturbing nature, many opted to not view the video. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr. took to Twitter to let users know that it was okay to not watch it, noting that “it should not require another video of a Black human being dehumanized for anyone to understand that police brutality is an urgent, devastating issue.”
While the case and the video have elicited anger and outrage from representatives both local and nationally, many have agreed that police reform is not only a pressing issue in the city of Memphis but nationwide as well.
Representative Steve Cohen took to his Twitter account to condemn the officers involved, and asked for all involved parties to be held accountable.
“At least 4 other officers did nothing and a sixth SCORPION said he hoped they’d stomp him. Every officer who took the law into his hands or failed to intervene should be held accountable. The Mayor & Chief have a hard job ahead and Congress must pass reforms I’ve long sponsored,” Cohen said.
In the aftermath of the video’s release, a sixth Memphis police officer, Preston Hemphill, was relieved of duty on January 30th. According to a statement released that same by attorneys for the Nichols’ family, Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, Hemphill had not been charged or terminated.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s office also released a statement on January 30th stating that this is an ongoing investigation, and that they are looking into “all individuals involved in the events leading up to, during, and after the beating of Tyre Nichols.”
“The current charges do not preclude us from adding additional charges as more information is presented,” the statement said. “This includes the officer present at the initial encounter who has not — so far — been charged, Memphis Fire Department personnel, and persons who participated in preparing documentation of the incident afterward.”
Three Memphis Fire Department personnel were also fired for violating “numerous MFD policies and protocols.” In a press conference, Gloria Sweet-Love, president of the Tennessee State Conference NAACP called for a ” community oversight board that has subpoena power.”
Sweet-Love also said that while Biden’s delivery on calls for executive orders for police brutality was an important first step, it is not a substitute for meaningful legislation. “We must have legislation that is effective throughout this country, that makes sure we stop the killing of Black men.”
Van Turner, president of the Memphis branch of the NAACP also said in the conference that at the request of Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, that they support the Tyre Nichols Criminal Reform Bill.
“We do not need to let Tyre Nichols’ death be in vain,” said Turner. “We need a bill passed, and we call on Gov. Bill Lee, we call on the Tennessee General Assembly to pass the Tyre Nichols Criminal Reform Bill.”
