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Death of Tyre Nichols: Reaction across U.S., Houston to release of body cam video
Reaction is pouring in across the country and right here in Houston as protestors call for justice for Tyre Nichols following the release of the body camera video.
HOUSTON - Houstonians stood in solidarity with the family of Tyre Nichols and protestors in Memphis Saturday.
Dozens of protestors, including 76-year-old Gloria Rubac of the Worker's World Party, remembered fighting for justice against police brutality decades ago.
MORE: Tyre Nichols videos leave many questions unanswered about Memphis father's death
"As a young person in the 60s and 70s, young people were optimistic," says Rubac. "I thought a revolution was going to come, and everything would change and things would be all peace and love. That hasn't happened. It's a long struggle, but we will see the day when the system is turned upside down and not run by a bunch of rich, old, white, straight Christian men...but by the majority of us."
Vivek Venkataraman, one of the organizers with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, encouraged residents and those in attendance to organize and protest in masses to see change.
"We saw with Derrick Chauvin, the brutal murderer of George Floyd, the only reason a conviction was possible was that millions of people hit the streets demanding justice," says Venkataraman. "The only way to win these convictions is to continue applying pressure. Continue hitting the streets."
MORE: Tyre Nichols: Memphis police disbands special unit behind beating death
The PSL joined their efforts with Jailhouse Justice Coalition for Saturday's demonstration.
More local law enforcement leaders have spoken against the former Memphis officers' actions in the body camera footage released to the public Friday.
"I was shocked, horrified, and very disappointed," says Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan. "I was pleased that the Memphis Police Department took quick action relieving these people."
MORE: Body cam footage of Tyre Nichols’ beating prompts demonstrations in Memphis, New York, DC
Fagan found it problematic the terminated officers in this disbanded SCORPION Crime Unit did not appear to contact a supervising officer in the hour-long footage.
"I didn't see any sergeants or anyone at that scene. When the scene takes that long, a supervisor should have been called," says Fagan. "I noticed that no one went up to him. Mr. Tyre falling over, and no one is rendering aid...a first-line responder should have reacted. Anybody that was on that scene that didn't act, I think is culpable in the part of that young man's murder."