Supporters marched from the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, stopped and spoke in front of CMPD Headquarters, and then ended in Marshall Park in honor of Tyree Nichols, victim of police violence in Memphis, TN.
Protesters took to the streets of Charlotte over the weekend after the Memphis Police Department released footage on Friday of five police officers brutally beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols on Jan. 7. He died in the hospital three days later.
More than 75 people gathered in front of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse on Saturday afternoon for a protest organized by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg branch of the NAACP. Following speeches from organizers such as NAACP Charlotte-Mecklenburg president Corinne Mack and fellow organizer Kass Ottley of Seeking Justice CLT, protesters marched through Second Ward in Uptown to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department headquarters, where more protesters addressed the crowd.
“We have to work together to change the system. We have to,” Ottley said. “I don’t care if we don’t like each other, I don’t care if we have small differences, I don’t care. At this point, this is what we need to focus on because I don’t want to see another video.”
Local organizer Tina Marshall said she couldn’t even watch the video upon its release on the previous night.
“The first thing I thought of when I saw the news was I thought of his mother and I thought of all the other mothers who have lost sons,” she told the crowd. “I don’t know how anyone can think this is OK and it not haunt you. Things have gotten worse since George Floyd and I don’t know what’s going on. The system needs to be dismantled because it is corrupt, it is violent and it kills.”
A smaller number of protesters gathered again on Sunday night and marched through the streets of Uptown, shutting down traffic for short periods of time, doing chants and giving speeches.
Queen City Nerve photographers Grant Baldwin and Peter Zay were at the protests taking photos, which we have shared below.
Corine Mack, Char-Meck NAACP President, speaks to supporters and media gathered in front of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in uptown Charlotte before a march honoring Tyre Nichols. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Lucille Puckett speaks at Saturday’s protest over the police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Protesters gather in front of CMPD headquarters on Saturday. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Tina Marshall spoke to those marching during a stop in front of CMPD Headquarters. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)A local teacher speaks during Saturday’s protest. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Corine Mack arrives at CMPD headquarters on Saturday. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)
Kass Ottley marches in Uptown on Saturday. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings (far right) marches alongside protesters on Saturday. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)CMPD Chief Johnny Jenning speaks to NAACP Charlotte-Mecklenburg president Corine Mack on Saturday. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Protesters gather in front of the Mecklenburg County courthouse on Saturday. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Tiawana Brown, founder of Beauty Behind Bars, speaks to supporters and media gathered in front of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in uptown Charlotte before a march honoring Tyre Nichols. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)Kass Otley, executive director of Seeking Justice CLT speaks to supporters and media gathered in front of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in uptown Charlotte before a march honoring Tyre Nichols. (Photo by Grant Baldwin)
Following the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, protesters gather against police violence in Charlotte. (Photo by Peter Zay)Following the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, protesters gather against police violence in Charlotte. (Photo by Peter Zay)Following the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, protesters gather against police violence in Charlotte. (Photo by Peter Zay)Following the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, protesters gather against police violence in Charlotte. (Photo by Peter Zay)Following the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, protesters gather against police violence in Charlotte. (Photo by Peter Zay)Following the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, protesters gather against police violence in Charlotte. (Photo by Peter Zay)
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