Dozens gather for rally in Boston in response to Tyre Nichols police video
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BOSTON - A rally is underway Saturday afternoon in Boston in response to the death of Tyre Nichols. Dozens were gathered across from the State House around 2:30 p.m.
Cities across the country continue to prepare for possible protests after video from the arrest of Nichols was released Friday night.
Five former Memphis police officers have been fired and charged with murder after Nichols, a Black man, died three days after a violent traffic stop on Jan. 7.
Protesters also gathered on the Boston Common Friday night and marched down Tremont Street.
Protesters focus police brutality, safety of people of color
BOSTON - Michelle Muallem lives in Boston and brought her 3-year-old daughter to the protests outside the Statehouse sparked by Tyre Nichols's death. Muallem said she was devastated that Tyre Nichols called for his mother in the body camera video.
"I can't imagine someone calling out for their mother. That was extraordinarily heartbreaking for me to see and hear," Muallem said. "I want her to know that she has a voice and a message to deliver, and she can act on that if she wants to. I feel a responsibility as her parent to learn about the issues."
Zoe Kamil is a teacher with Boston Public Schools:
"A majority of my students are black and brown, and so I think about them every day and their safety. It is very important to me that we create a better world for them."
Boston clergy speak out against killing of Tyre Nichols
BOSTON - Hearts are hurting in Boston as business leaders and clergy speak out against the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
Bishop William E. Dickerson says what happened in Memphis triggers a lot of emotions here in Boston and it's so important for people to communicate. "This is a time that we have regressed, so we need to speak to this moment and be able to talk to the young people, in particular, to give them understanding that not all police officers are evil," Bishop Dickerson said.
Glynn Lloyd is the former director of Mills City Communities Investments. He says in order to move forward, communities of all colors must work together and form a sense of strength from within. "We work from the public to the private to the academic. How do we bring all these resources together to really make sure we're getting to the root of the issue?" Lloyd said.
Imari Paris Jackson is the executive director of Embrace Boston. He feels Boston is in a good place to address the issues of injustice and inequality because of its leadership. "From our governor to our mayor, and we have these, the top officials - the top police officials - are all people of color or black, so we have this winning team," Jeffries said.
He also says watching that video of Tyre's mother is an example of how the community needs to respond to such tragedies. "The empathy she had for the families of the police officers .... is the best we hope to aspire to," Jeffries said.
Bishop Dickerson also agrees. "His mother is a pillar of strength. She is standing up because she want to see justice for Tyre Nichols, and that's what we all should have that mindset," Dickerson said.
