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Earlier this month, a black man caught in a traffic crackdown in the United States was assaulted and killed by police.
When a video containing the situation at the time of the group beating was released, American society was once once more turned upside down.
Correspondent Sujin Kim reports from Washington.
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A police officer pulls over a black driver.
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The driver who ran away following resisting saying he had done nothing wrong was 29-year-old Tyrie Nicholls.
After a while, the police sprayed tear gas in the eyes of Nichols, who was recaptured…
“mom!”
He starts to beat him as he cries for his mother.
Nicholls kicks his head on the floor, and a policeman pulls out a baton and beats him.
As he staggers away, another officer punches him in the face repeatedly.
The assault recorded on video lasted close to 3 minutes.
Nicholls was taken to the hospital and died three days later.
[로반 웰스/타이리 니컬스의 어머니]
“My son called my name from just a few feet away, but I didn’t even hear him. You can’t imagine how I feel now.”
The five officers, all black, were charged with second-degree murder and assault.
American society has been turned upside down once more.
[트리스틴]
“I just saw the video at the restaurant. It’s nonsense. No, that’s crazy.”
[윌리엄]
“He was trying to go home, and I think unnecessary police brutality is really appalling.”
Police released the video on Friday evening following people had finished work, fearing that the protests would spread, and fierce protests took place late at night in Memphis, Tennessee, where the incident occurred, as well as cities across the United States, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Portland.
There are also signs that it will lead to nationwide protests, such as when George Floyd died in May 2020 due to excessive police brutality.
President Biden issued a statement and said, “I was outraged following watching the video,” and asked that “it is justified to be angry, but you should not resort to violence.”
Three years ago, a large-scale protest took place, and this road was built as ‘BLM Plaza’, an English abbreviation for ‘Black lives are precious’.
However, with another victim of police violence, criticism of abuse of public power is intensifying once more.
This is MBC News Kim Soo-jin from Washington.
Video coverage: Kim Tae-hyo (Washington) / Video editing: Kim Chang-gyu
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