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Peaceful protests in Seattle after release of Tyre Nichols arrest video

With the Memphis Police Department releasing bodycam footage of the arrest of of Tyre Nichols on Friday afternoon, peaceful protests took place around Seattle in the evening.

The Seattle Police Department said on Friday that it was “planning, preparing, and staffing to provide public safety throughout the city should police resources be needed.”

One protest was organized by several activist groups and was scheduled for 7 p.m. at Cal Anderson Park. Another protest was set to happen at Pioneer Square at 6 p.m.

A group of about 50 people did peacefully make their way from Cal Anderson Park to the Space Needle and back to Capitol Hill, calling for justice for Nichols.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell also commented on the release of the video, putting out a statement that reads, in part:

Unconscionable violence has no role in policing and is in direct opposition to keeping people safe. This is the kind of event that compromises and erodes trust in law enforcement not just in Memphis, but in cities and communities across the country. While the officers responsible have been terminated and charged, additional investigations and actions must create further accountability. Proactive, preventative measures, like those we have pioneered in Seattle, must be at the forefront of reform, not an afterthought when tragedies like this occur. I am proud that our Seattle Police Officers have openly rejected this injustice and violence.

On Friday, KIRO 7 spoke to Victoria Beach, the chair of SPD’s African American Community Advisory Council, who said she is calling for any protests that happen in the city Friday night to remain peaceful.

Beach believes what happened in Memphis can set an example on holding officers accountable for committing any sort of crime.

“I think this is setting an example that if you are that type of officer, you are not going to get away with it. You are going to be held accountable immediately,” Beach said.