Demonstrations Continue to Protest Against Police Violence in US

Dozens of people took to the streets this Friday in front of the White House protesting the death of Tire Nichols, a 29 year-old Afro-descendant man who was beaten by five police officers for an alleged traffic violation. This incident, caught on video, sparked outrage across the US and inspired groups in cities such as Memphis, New York, Atlanta and Detroit, to take action and demand justice.

The protests outside of President Joe Biden’s residence called for an end to police terror, justice for Tire Nichols, and accountability for all the officers involved in the attack. The security forces were deployed in Lafayette Park and the surrounding areas to secure the White House area.

Meanwhile in Memphis, hundreds of people blocked a city highway and demanded to speak with the mayor, Jim Strickland, and the chief of the Police Department, Cerelyn Davis. In New York, over 100 demonstrators occupied Times Square to express their dissatisfaction with the event.

The five officers implicated in the incident were fired from their posts and face a series of criminal charges. A further investigation has been promised by the country’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, who urged the protests to remain peaceful.

The issue of police violence is an alarming trend in the US. Human rights organization Mapping Police Violence reported that nearly a third of all people killed by police in the United States in 2021 belonged to the Afro-descendant population, even thought they account for only 13% of the nation’s population.