ATLANTA — As the nation digests what's been described as a brutal and disturbing video of a traffic stop beating arrest in Memphis, Tenn., law enforcement agencies in metro Atlanta are preparing for how the community could react this weekend.
Tennessee authorities released body camera and surveillance video of Tyre Nichols' arrest Friday. Authorities said Nichols died days after being beaten during the traffic stop. Five Memphis officers have since been charged with the death and fired from the job.
Authorities, with the protests of George Floyd's police killing in 2020 fresh on their mind, are keeping an eye on how the law enforcement death of another Black man could spark further protests in Georgia.
Tensions have been running high in Atlanta after the law enforcement killing of an activist last week who was protesting the construction of a police training facility in DeKalb County. Activists protested in Downtown Atlanta last weekend and after events turned violent -- the demonstrations were quickly shut down. Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency Thursday, just five days after violence broke out. He's asked 1,000 National Guard troops to be on standby.
Here's how law enforcement, lawmakers and influential community leaders are preparing for more demonstrations this weekend.
Statements regarding the Nichols' case
It's unclear how the country will react now that video of Nichols' arrest is released to the public. Atlanta attorney and social advocate Gerald Griggs, who is also the president of the Georgia NAACP, said he's also not sure what to expect in Atlanta but made one thing clear regarding the potential for any protests.
"If we see what I think we're going to see, we need to make sure that when we protest is peaceful, it's nonviolent in the spirit of the First Amendment, in the spirit of the city of Atlanta, in a spirit of America, making sure that justice is fair and equitable, and that we make sure we uplift the voices of the families," explained Griggs.
Griggs also pointed out to keep the purpose of protests in mind.
"It's not to be anti-law enforcement. This is to be pro-justice," he said. "And justice has to be fair and equal the same way it is with civilians."
Agencies and leaders across the nation, including in Atlanta, have released statements calling for peaceful demonstrations.
Law enforcement agencies
Atlanta Police statement on Tyre Nichols
"We are closely monitoring the events in Memphis and are prepared to support peaceful protests in our city. We understand and share in the outrage surrounding the death of Tyre Nichols. Police officers are expected to conduct themselves in a compassionate, competent, and constitutional manner and these officers failed Tyre, their communities and their profession. We ask that demonstrations be safe and peaceful."
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum addressed a group of new recruits in a speech, telling them that Tyre Nichols' death will have a deep impact.
"Wrong acts by law enforcement in Memphis, Tennessee is going to be felt by coast to coast," he said. "We will be in the next few days protecting the right of free speech on the streets of our city, because men who wore the same uniform you wore for another agency have violently broke the public trust. Tyre Nichols lost his life because a group of men forgot their oath of service.”
Gainesville Police on Tyre Nichols' death
Chief Jay Parrish posted a message to social media Friday, offering condolences to the Nichols family.
“I am sickened by the actions of these five men that took an oath to protect the very person they murdered. In communities like Gainesville, love, sacrifices, and relationships built over years can be affected by the poor actions of a few," his statement said in part.
Read the full statement below.
Georgia State Patrol on how it intends to respond to potential protests
"We are working closely with the Atlanta Police Department and our other metro-Atlanta law enforcement partners. We are monitoring all intelligence and will respond appropriately."
Fulton County Sherriff's Office Statement on the Memphis case
On Friday, The Fulton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that "cases like this must not only be condemned by the community but also by law enforcement leadership."
Read the full statement below.
DeKalb County Sheriff's Office on potential protests
"The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is already operating on High Alert following recent violent protests in the metro area and in light of anticipated nationwide civil unrest. We remain in a state of readiness should we need to escalate activity to secure county judicial facilities and protect staff and individuals in custody at the DeKalb County Jail.
"We respect our citizens’ right to lawful protest, and we will not restrict that right unless laws are violated and the peace of our community is disrupted. We support Governor Kemp’s declared State of Emergency, and we are prepared to respond to any situation when and where we are needed."
11Alive interviewed Chief Mirtha Ramos on Friday. She says Atlanta police reached out to her department in case extra support is needed.
"[The Tyre Nichols incident] really just kind of takes us right back to where we were— incidents that occur like this can take you back a year, two years, three years," she said.
Ramos says they will have extra officers on-hand to help, including at the controversial police training facility where an activist was shot and killed last week.
"While we have enhanced the police visibility around Cop City, we've actually increased visibility throughout DeKalb County for the weekend just to make sure that we have all of our citizens covered. We want everybody to feel safe in the community and know that we're out there to respond if necessary," Ramos said.
Cobb County Law Enforcement held a press conference on Tyre Nichols
Cobb County Sheriff's Office held a press conference with several other jurisdictions in the area about the video release of Tyre Nicholas being beaten by five Memphis officers.
The agencies said they were united against the event of police brutality in Memphis. The police departments in Cobb County and the sheriff's office offered their condolences to the family of Nicholas.
"We lost a life ladies and gentlemen," Austell Chief of Police Orrin Scott Hamilton said. "We carry that home with us too."
They aired the same wishes of other local departments, saying that people who wish to protest should do so safely and peacefully. Cobb County law enforcement officials, ask anyone who needs help setting up a protest or anything relating to the matter to reach out if needed.
"We have worked with many organizations over the years," Marietta Chief of Police Tanya Twaddell said. "We just also ask that it stay peaceful and that we continue to work together in the memory of the Nichols family."
Other community organizations also came to the conference and spoke, like the Cobb County Chapter of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Cobb County ministry alliance and the county's NAACP chapter.
Gwinnett and South Fulton Police
South Fulton and Gwinnett County Police say they are monitoring events this weekend and will allocate resources as needed.
Statement from lawmakers, influential community leaders
President Biden
On Thursday, President Biden issued a statement on the Tyre Nichols' case:
Read the president's full statement here, where he also called for peaceful demonstrations.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a letter to city employees expressing his "heartache" at the "barbarism" that led to Tyre Nichols' death.
"We know from experience that videos like this can rightfully spark emotional responses. I am a firm proponent of full participation, community dialogue and peaceful demonstration. Atlanta is the Cradle of the Civil Rights Movement, and the City is working to ensure that anyone who is looking to o lift their voice in peaceful protest or demonstration in the days to come is able to do so safely," Dickens wrote. "That also means we are remaining vigilant for those who might try to use the cover of protected First Amendment activities to conduct illegal acts of violence and destruction, which we will not tolerate."
Brittany Burns, who helped organize protests in the wake of George Floyd's death in 2020
Brittany Burns, who helped organize several demonstrations in Atlanta following George Floyd's murder, and other deaths at the hands of police around the country, says Nichols' death is a painful, familiar flashback to 2020.
"We are tired of seeing mothers crying, we are tired of seeing children without fathers and mothers because they've been killed by police," Burns said. "We are tired of police saying, 'I was in fear for my life.' You beat this man down. And he literally died slowly for three days. That is the most excessive, disgusting, heinous act I've ever heard. But it continues to happen."
Burns said this weekend could be similar despite the quick arrest of the five officers who were charged with Nichols’ murder.
“The reason why I don't think that it's going to cause more peace just because the officers were arrested quickly is because Tyre Nichols is not here. And also just because those officers were arrested. At the same time, there's patterns of practice, when it comes to police as a whole and we are tired of it. We are sick of it," she said.
She's encouraging peaceful protests this weekend.
“I'm always going to encourage peaceful protests because you have people who are really angry, and they have every right to be -- I'm angry," she said. "I'm angry, but at the same time, if they want free bodies off of us, why would we give it to them - meaning don't jeopardize your life. If they want to enslave us - meaning put us in jail, don't give that to them."
Burns is grateful there was body camera footage, that will give insight into what truly happens. She also recognizes that's not the case in every incident.
"In a lot of cases, there is no body cam footage. That's one of the things that a lot of families have been trying to push as far as legislation -- that body cam footage should be mandatory. That's what we're asking for," she said.
Dr. Bernice King