USA. Tire Nichols, 29, died after police intervened. The police showed the recordings

Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old black man, was arrested on January 7 for an alleged traffic violation.

In the published four footage from cameras on police officers’ uniforms, officers can be seen dragging Nichols out of his car and pinning him to the ground. The man does not resist at first, but later slips out of the hands of the officers and runs away. He is captured, and five black police officers take turns beating him, kicking him in the head, punching him, batons, and tasing him. Nichols, 29, was lying on the ground calling for his mother.

The man was hospitalized in critical condition and died three days later from his wounds. The five officers who were discharged from the service were charged with second-degree murder, which is intentional but not premeditated.

The Nichols case aroused widespread outrage in USAand state and federal authorities prepared for potential riots.

The behavior of the officers was strongly condemned by Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis, who assessed that it was an incident comparable to or worse than the case of black Rodney King, whose brutal beating in Los Angeles and subsequent acquittal of police officers caused one of the largest riots in US history.

The president referred to the matter on Thursday and Friday Joe Bidenwho also interviewed the victim’s family.

“Like many, I was outraged and deeply affected by the horrendous video of the beating that resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols,” the president said in a statement, adding that it was “another painful reminder” of the trauma black Americans are dealing with. At the same time, Biden admonished the protesters not to resort to violence or destruction. He also pointed out that Nichols’ mother had also called for peaceful protests and refraining from violence.

On Friday evening, demonstrators took to the streets of Memphis. Smaller protests were also organized, e.g. in Washington and New York. So far, they are proceeding peacefully.