Urban League holds vigil in memory of Tyre Nichols
The Urban League of the Central Carolinas held a vigil in memory of Tyre Nichols.
The organization said the peaceful gathering honored Nichols’ life.
It also served as a call to action for redefining pubic safety and restoring community trust on a local level.
“As a community, we are hurt and traumatized by the tragic and horrific loss of yet another young black man. I am also the mother of a black son, and I can only imagine the pain the Nichols family is experiencing. It is important that we come together to stand with the Nichols family and our brothers and sisters across the nation. Thus, we invite mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and all people to gather in remembrance and peace. We will provide a space for healing, call out injustice, and continue to press for continued action toward police reform,” Interim President and CEO Robyn Hamilton said.
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The vigil came days after the City of Memphis released videos showing the deadly police beating of Nichols, who died on Jan. 10, three days after he was stopped by police a short distance from his home.
Channel 9′s Glenn Counts, who attended the vigil, said the Urban League typically does not get involved in events like this.
Hamilton told Channel 9 that this is the organization’s first of many steps toward activism.
“Tonight is just an opportunity to first recognize what is going on in America, so we never want to remain silent in times such as this. But the other thing is peacefully come together and remember Tyre because we don’t want the pain of his death to go undiscovered,” Hamilton said.
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Neighborhood Organization Be You Be Great said they welcome help from the Urban League.
“To anybody that can be a part and come together man we need it cause we got to make Charlotte continue to be at peace, ” Be You Be Great member Willis Draughn told Channel 9.
In addition to the vigil, a march was also held at Marshall Park in honor of Tyre Nichols.
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