NBA stars were among the first to react to the newly released footage of LeBron James’ fatal arrest tyre nichols on Friday (January 27).
Unarmed 29-year-old dies three days after being beaten by five men Memphis The police officer, who was charged yesterday with second-degree murder.
In the footage, Nichols is chased, punched and pepper sprayed. The officer was later seen bragging about punching him.
You can follow live updates after the release of the video here.
President Joe Biden called the video “terrible” and said it was a “painful reminder” of the fear black and brown Americans face while calling for peaceful demonstrations.
James was the first to respond “Very factual!!!” MSNBC journalist’s tweet about how “we fail to fully understand race and the *systemic tool it builds into. *The entire system of policing sees Black bodies as a problem. This makes Doesn’t matter who pulls the trigger.”
Nichols was beaten by five black officers.
James later tweeted: “We are our own worst enemy!!!”
Several other celebrities have taken to social media to express their condemnation and call for reforms.
Martin Luther King IIIThe human rights activist and son of Martin Luther King Jr. tweeted: “I am deeply disturbed by the video released today by the Memphis Police. We all witnessed a horrific but disturbingly familiar act by officers of the law. Everyone involved should be arrested and charged with murder tyre nichols, His family and our country deserve justice.”
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wrote: “Tyre Nichols must live. Yes, the police officers who brutally murdered him must be held accountable. But even his conviction on the strongest possible charges will not hold Tire back We must do everything in our power to end police violence against people of color.
east wonder woman Star Lynda Carter tweeted: “What happened to #TyreNichols is an epidemic. We don’t just need justice for one case, but the moral courage to change the system.”
Meanwhile, the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies observed a minute’s silence before taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves.