ATLANTA — Protesters across the country, including metro Atlanta, began demonstrations Friday night following the release of the Memphis police body camera video showing what led to the death of Tyre Nichols.
Channel 2′s Audrey Washington was in downtown Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park, where protesters gathered for a peaceful demonstration that called for a change to how policing is done in the United States.
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Protester Jermaine Stubbs told Washington what happened to Tyre Nichols should serve as a wake-up call to the nation.
“It’s very disturbing, cruel,” Stubbs told Washington.
On Friday night, Memphis police released body camera video of the 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who died on January 10th, just a few days after five Memphis police officers beat him during a traffic stop.
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Protester Jan Rivers told Washington she could not bring herself to watch the video.
“It’s too much, it’s too much,” Rivers said. “I don’t need to see that level of violence; what I need to do is be out here expressing support and doing what I can to support a change to the system.”
Protesters said they want more police accountability and an end to what they say are repeated instances of police brutality.
At an Atlanta Police Department event, Police Chief Darin Schierbaum reminded future officers that they are there to serve, to follow the Constitution, and to show compassion.
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“Tyre Nichols lost his life because a group of men forgot their oath of service,” he said.
All of the officers who beat Trye Nichols were charged with murder.
Protesters told Channel 2 Action News they plan to return to Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta around noon Saturday.
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