Politicians Condemn Fatal Beating of Tire Nichols – NBC New York (47)

WASHINGTON DC – While protests are raging in different states of the country, various voices agree in their condemnations of the brutal beating that led to the death of Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old African-American man, which occurred in Memphis, Tennessee.

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, said he was “outraged and deeply saddened” after seeing the images of the beating that several police officers gave Nichols, who died days later in the hospital.

Biden anticipated that the images, which were published this Friday afternoon, will leave many Americans “shocked” but asked those who “seek justice” not to resort to violence.

“Violence is never acceptable, it is illegal and destructive,” said the president.

White House officials had a call on Friday afternoon with the mayors of 16 cities in the country before possible protests this weekend after the Memphis Police published the videos showing the beating of Nichols.

For his part, the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, who was on the call, said in a video statement posted on his social networks that he felt “devastated” by what happened with Nichols and asked the inhabitants of the city to act. peacefully if you wish to protest this weekend.

“If you need to express anger or outrage, do it peacefully,” he said in the video.

Adams added that the city’s Police Department is already “fully prepared” to allow residents to exercise their right to protest.

The attorney general of the United States, Merrick Garland, promised this Friday that there will be an investigation into the death of Nichols at the hands of five police officers and asked that any protests that there may be about this event be peaceful.

Five former agents are in custody and face various criminal charges for killing Nichols, who was arrested on January 7 for an alleged traffic violation.

While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, shared a statement in which he was “heartbroken, horrified and shocked” by what happened.

“The repetition of wrongful killings is a stain on America. The five police officers betrayed their oath to serve and protect their community and must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

“Tyre was a father, a son, a friend, a talented young man who should still be alive. We must honor his memory by ensuring these officers are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and bringing about meaningful and lasting change to create a more just and equitable America,” he said.

The Memphis Police Department released the video on Friday. It includes footage from the police body camera and a surveillance camera on a pole.

King’s daughter, Lora Dene King, who was 7 when her father Rodney King was beaten that sparked violent protests in 1991, issued a statement on Nichols’ case.

“This is extremely disgusting,” he said in the statement. “We shouldn’t have to witness such things in this world over and over again with a different name behind the hashtags. Watching these kinds of videos has become very disturbing. It often triggers severe beatings compared to my father’s brutal beating in 1991 with the Los Angeles Police Department.

“This is something I will never understand. I wish to send the family God’s grace, mercy and strength to keep his legacy alive and his good deeds as well. I am happy to know that he loved skateboarding like my father. I hope his family find more strength in the days ahead.”