'I personally am affected by that': Nova Scotians express outrage over death of Tyre Nichols
Horror, outrage, and pain are just a few words Robert Wright uses to describe his feelings after watching Tyre Nichols pinned and assaulted by officers in Memphis.
“It’s as if my brother was beaten, my cousin was beaten, my son was beaten when I see that. So yes, I personally am affected by that,” said Wright, who is the executive director of African Nova Scotian Justice Institute.
It's an incident viewed around the world.
Memphis police pulled over the 29-year-old during a traffic stop for alleged reckless driving.
As the video continued, it shows officers pulling Nichols from his car. They then used pepper spray, a taser, a baton, and their fists to beat him for three minutes.
The footage reveals him screaming for his mother.
Nichols later died at the hospital.
Nova Scotia is home to North Preston, the largest Black community in Canada.
While the incident occurred in Memphis, Wright said the incident mirrors distrust between the local Black community and police here.
“The street check issue is not fully resolved here. The dramatic over representation of Black people in those statistics suggests that there has been an overtly racist policing of Black people,” he said.
All five officers involved were also Black, which is something experts say reflects a larger issue within the system.
“You have these five police men walking into this racialized institution and this institution is saying that Black persons is inferior and you can do anything with them as you wish, so then they are still using that same racist narrative," said Assistant Professor at Carleton University Evelyn Namakula-Mayanja.
“Whether white or Black, it is the same. It is an institution that does not train people to respect the humanity of the other. In Canada you will find that it’s being taken away from Black and Indigenous people.”
Police in other provinces have spoken out condemning the actions that led to Nichols’ death, and Wright said he wants Halifax police to do the same.
As of Sunday, Halifax police hadn’t commented on the matter, but Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella released the following statement on Monday:
“The details and video of the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols of Memphis and his subsequent death are deeply disturbing. On behalf of Halifax Regional Police, I condemn the actions of the officers who committed these heinous acts, and those who stood by and watched. It is heartbreaking to know that officers who took an oath to serve and protect inflicted such horrendous pain and injuries on that young man, a beloved son and a father.
“These actions are not a reflection of, nor do they define the service of hundreds of thousands of police officers. But we know that the actions of those officers will impact the trust and confidence in the entire profession.
“We support and commend the swift efforts of the Memphis Police Department to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Tyre’s family - we send them our condolences. We extend our deepest support to our fellow community members. We stand with you through this difficult time.”
Correction
This is a corrected article. A previous version incorrectly stated that four officers were involved, instead of five.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.