Tyre Nichols

The funeral of Tyre Nichols, who died after being beaten by police officers, is sparking nationwide protests calling for justice for him. Three weeks ago, a video showing the 29-year-old Memphis man being assaulted by police went viral on social media, stirring a storm of rage from people around the world. On Wednesday, a funeral for Nichols was held in Memphis, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, calling for justice and for those responsible for his death to be held accountable. The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy during the funeral, saying: “We understand that there are concerns about public safety. We understand that there are needs to deal with crime. But you don’t fight crime by becoming criminals yourselves.”

Several musical performances kicked off the afternoon service followed by remarks from religious leaders while photos of the victim were displayed on a big screen. The senior pastor of the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, the Rev. J. Lawrence, delivered a message of support to Nichols’ heartbroken family. “This family has endured the unsolicited, unwarranted, unreasonable, unjustifiable, and massive burden of grieving their loved one and at the same time fighting for justice,” he said.

Nichols was beaten by police officers during a traffic stop on Jan. 7 and died on Jan. 10. Video footage from one of the officer’s body cameras shows Nichols being pulled over by the police on suspicion of reckless driving and taken out of his car to be arrested.