The US city of Memphis has disbanded the special police unit whose officers beat a young black man to death after graphic video of the attack sparked widespread shock and outrage.
The video, which shows five police officers repeatedly kicking and beating Tire Nichols, 29, as he moans and calls out for his mother, sparked calls for police reform amid the anger.
The southern US city announced yesterday that it has disabled the officers’ task force known as SCORPION, created in 2021 to reduce illegal activity by deploying more police in high-crime areas.
The Memphis Police Department said in a statement that it was “in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the SCORPION Unit” which stands for “Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace to Our Neighborhoods.”
“The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step,” the department added, reports RTE.
At one point, a police car was surrounded by a group of protesters, who directed their angry chants at the vehicle.
Responding to calls from the crowd, Memphis City Council member JB Smiley Jr. addressed the protesters in the rain.
“Memphis has an opportunity to set the standard on how to respond to actions like this,” he told them, reports RTE.
The five Memphis officers, all black, were charged with second-degree murder when they beat up Mr. Nichols, who died in the hospital on Jan. 10, three days after he was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving.
Long video footage from police body cameras released Friday night shows the group of officers apprehending Mr Nichols, attempting to taser him down and then chasing him as he dodges them.
Protests in Memphis, Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and a handful of other cities Friday night after the video was released were small and largely peaceful.
In addition to the second-degree murder charges, the officers are charged with aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.