Mayor Eric Adams told New Yorkers that the police officers in Memphis charged in the horrific beating death of a Tyre Nichols, who was pulled over in a traffic stop, had “betrayed” their profession as he called for calm on the streets of the Big Apple in the coming days.
“As a human, I’m devastated; as a mayor, I am outraged,” said Adams.
“As someone who spent decades fighting for police diversity and against police abuse, I feel betrayed by these officers.”
Hizzoner’s remarks came as the nation sat on edge awaiting the release of the chilling video, which was expected to occur later Friday, that authorities in Tennessee have described as “absolutely appalling.”
Both the 29-year-old victim and the five cops involved are black. Prosecutors in the state have already charged the quintet with second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and official misconduct.
During the short speech, Adams drew direct connections between the unfolding scenes a thousand of miles away and his own biography — as a victim of police violence, turned police officer who campaigned for reform in then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s NYPD — as he appealed for any Big Apple protests to remain peaceful and for police to show restraint.
“Any officer who engages in violence and brutality tarnishes all the work we have done to keep communities safe and foster a better relationship between the police and the communities they serve,” he added.
Adams also applauded the prosecutors and local officials in Tennessee for quickly bringing the charges against the officers and terminating them from the Memphis police force.
Read more of the Post’s coverage of Tyre Nichols’ beating death
“My message to New Yorkers is to respect the wishes of Mr. Nichols’ mother. If you need to express your anger and outrage, do so peacefully,” Adams concluded. “My message to the NYPD has been and will continue to be to exercise restraint.”
Adams took to the podium in the Blue Room at City Hall to make the speech shortly after 5 p.m. Just moments before he spoke, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell was seen exiting City Hall.
Earlier Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul urged that anyone who protest remain peaceful and said that local and state police would be ready to respond to any protests that turn violent.
“I will ask everyone to heed the words of Tyre Nichol’s mother, on behalf of her family and his 4-year-old child,” Hochul told reporters at an earlier press conference in Lower Manhattan with the mayor. “If you’re going to protest, please do so peacefully, in her son’s memory. And so that’s something we all need to take to heart.
Local authorities in Tennessee have charged all five of the police officers involved in pulling over Tyre Nichols in Memphis with second-degree murder and a suite of other charges,
“Let me be clear: What happened here does not at all reflect proper policing. This was wrong. This was criminal,” said David Rausch, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation during the news conference.
Lawyers for Nichols’ family have compared the tape, which runs for approximately three minutes, with the infamous 1991 beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles.
His family has urged protestors to remain peaceful.
“I don’t want us burning up our city, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” said his mother, RowVaughn Wells, at a prayer vigil late Thursday. “If you guys are here for me and Tyre, then you will protest peacefully. You can get your point across but we don’t need to tear up our cities, people, because we do have to live in them.”
With Post wires
