Videos: Protests Erupt Across US in Response to Tyre Nichols Video

Body camera footage showed police savagely beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who died three days later. All five officers involved in the fatal incident have been fired from the Memphis Police Department and hit with murder charges. Additionally, two local deputies have been put on leave pending an investigation.

Protests of various sizes sprung up across the nation on Friday after the Memphis police released body cam footage of two police altercations with Tyre Nichols, who was beaten by police after being pulled over for alleged reckless driving.

Five of the police officers involved were fired and charged with second-degree murder among other crimes. The video's release was announced on Thursday, leading a host of politicians and other officials to preemptively warn potential protesters to remain peaceful ahead of the video's Friday night release.

Videos of protests from Times Square in New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Memphis, Tennessee, Washington, DC, and other sites have been posted online. It is not known at this time how many protesters are at each event but they appear to vary from a few dozen to hundreds.

However, protests in Memphis appear to be the largest. Protesters there took over Interstate 55, shutting it down to traffic while chanting and giving speeches.

MEMPHIS: Protesters take over the I-55 bring to protest the death of #TyreNichols. pic.twitter.com/jxWWSInyUC

— Kalen D’Almeida (@fromkalen) January 28, 2023

Protesters in Times Square chanted for justice, saying if they don't get it they will "shut it down."

#HappeningNow Protest in Times Square NYC over the police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis #news pic.twitter.com/GC5yoihbRH

— NJEG Media (@NJEGmedia) January 28, 2023

At least one minor clash has occurred between police and protesters in Times Square, where protesters were burning incense. One protester appears to be apprehended by the police in the video.

Brawls, arrests, incense in Times Square #TyreNichols pic.twitter.com/WdDgR9xKcL

— tate brown (@tatewbrown) January 28, 2023

It is not clear from the video what started the altercation between police and the protesters. In another video, a protester breaks a police cruiser window, but it is unknown if that was related to the other arrest. The protester who broke the window also appears to get apprehended.

One protester climbs on an NYPD car and smashes out the front window, leads to a scuffle and some arrests pic.twitter.com/htgU1VfRvB

— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) January 28, 2023

Some crowds in Washington, DC, gathered in Lafayette Park and along the Black Lives Matter Plaza in view of the White House. The Black Lives Matter Plaza was given the name in 2020 during a rise in nationwide protests in response to the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and countless others.

“Cops say get back. We say fight back!”

BLM Plaza now #TyreNichols pic.twitter.com/8SOrXJOeGY

— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) January 28, 2023

"Power!"
"I want it!"
"I need it!"
"I got to have it!" https://t.co/P2hi4HVUMx pic.twitter.com/SZriVug9Ow

— Morgan Artyukhina, Грёзы зимнею дорогой ❄️ (@LavenderNRed) January 28, 2023

One reporter in Atlanta said there were about 40 people attending the protest, which has remained peaceful so far.

RIGHT NOW: Protest growing in #Atlanta calling for police accountability in light of Memphis PD releasing the video of 5 officers brutally beating Tyre Nichols.

Roughly 40 people here. Peaceful.@ATLNewsFirst pic.twitter.com/k2A4gMmc5t

— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) January 28, 2023

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Thursday, activating 1,000 National Guard troops in response to an ongoing protest against the building of an Atlanta law enforcement training facility nicknamed "Cop City." A protester was shot and killed by police on January 18 after police claimed he fired at them and wounded a state trooper.

Livestreams of protests in Memphis are ongoing at press time.