The "Floyd case" repeats, the United States fears a frenzy of anger, and Biden calls for calm
[Global Times Special Correspondent in the United States Li Zhun Global Times Reporter Liu Ming] In 2020, the African-American man George Floyd was violently enforced by white police and died, triggering the largest protests in the United States in decades.
Similar tragedies have been staged again recently. According to a report by CNN on January 26, an African-American man in Memphis, Tennessee was stopped by the police while driving, and was beaten to death by five police officers. A new round of public opinion frenzy.
'Inhumane' abuse
CNN said that on the 7th of this month, 29-year-old FedEx employee Tyre Nichols was stopped by the police on the grounds of suspected "reckless driving" while driving home.
When officers approached the vehicle, an altercation ensued and Nichols got out of the vehicle to flee the scene, police said.
When the police caught up to Nichols and tried to arrest him, the two sides clashed again.
Afterwards, Nichols said he was short of breath and was rushed to hospital.
On the 10th, the police announced that Nichols "died of his injuries", but did not announce the cause of death and further details.
After reviewing the video, Nichols' lawyer said that when the second conflict occurred, the police conducted "cruel and inhumane" abuse on the victim for up to 3 minutes: not only using pepper spray, stun guns, but also tying him up Restrained and beaten, Nichols pleaded with the police that "I just want to go home."
Nichols' family also stated that the autopsy report showed that the victim "had been severely beaten and lost a lot of blood" before his death.
The US "Washington Post" reported on the 26th that the police involved Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmett Martin and Justin Smith was indicted on the same day and was charged with multiple counts of second-degree murder, kidnapping, malfeasance and abuse of public power.
To the shock of many people, the five policemen involved in the case are all African-Americans. They have joined the Memphis Police Department in the past six years. After the incident, they were fired on the 20th of this month and put in prison on the 26th. , with a maximum bail of $350,000.
Biden calls for calm
In memory of Nichols, several protests were held in Memphis.
The US "Wall Street Journal" reported that the Nichols case has attracted national attention, and people have questioned the facts of the case.
In the face of public condemnation, the police decided to release the law enforcement recording video after 6 pm local time on the 27th.
But at the same time, Memphis city officials worry that once the video is released, it may further inflame public anger and lead to more potential violence.
U.S. President Biden expressed condolences to the families of the victims and all Memphis citizens on the 27th, and called on people to "keep calm."
He said, "At this moment of grief for the American people, I join Nichols' family in calling for peaceful protests. I can understand people's anger, but violence is not advisable." At the same time, Biden also urged Congress to move forward Police reform bill named after George Floyd to limit violence in police enforcement.
However, the bill has stalled in the Senate in 2021.
"Nichols' death is a painful reminder that more must be done to ensure our criminal justice system delivers on its promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment and dignity for all," Biden said in a statement.
"Scorpion Squad" Becomes a Joke
Memphis has a population of 628,000, and nearly two-thirds of the residents are African-Americans. The fact that the five police officers involved are all African-Americans has aggravated people's pain.
Some activists expressed disbelief when they found out that the perpetrators were all of African descent.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, Al Sharpton, the leader of the American black civil rights movement, said, "Because the police involved are also African-Americans, this case is particularly distressing. We have been fighting tirelessly to allow African-Americans to join the police force. But they What has been done is so horrific that no words can express my astonishment." He believes that if the victim was white, the outcome could have been very different.
The US "New York Times" stated that at a press conference held on the 26th, David Roush, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said that the suspect's behavior "shocked me. This did not comply with due law enforcement procedures, but blatant criminality".
Memphis Police Chief Cereline Davis said that the way the local police treated Nichols was not only a professional error, but also a failure of basic humanity to treat another person.
Memphis is launching a new anti-violence unit, the Scorpion Squad, in 2021 as its murder rate soars and residents clamor for action, according to NBC News.
Authorities confirmed that it was the "Scorpion Squad" officers who caused Nichols to be beaten to death.
Nichols' death has brought further scrutiny to the city of Memphis' efforts to combat violent crime through a dedicated unit.
Cities across the country have adopted the "hot spot" approach, but some advocates for police reform bills say it instead encourages the use of force and erodes public trust.
(Source: Global Times)