PRESS RELEASE
President Everett Winchester
443-466-0433
www.uniabarcaclarke.com
On January 7, 2023, five Black police officers from the Memphis Police Department beat up a 29-year-old black man Tyre Nichols, during a traffic stop. He was hospitalized and died 3 days later.
In response to the tragedy, President Everett Winchester of the UNIA-ACL Baltimore Division 106 Barca-Clarke released the following statement:
First of all, we are sending love and prayers to the family, friends, and associates of our young brother Tyre Nichols. Our UNIA-ACL Division 106 Barca-Clarke just protested Thursday 1/26/2023 for officers to be charged in the death of the unarmed young man Donnell Rochester. Donnell was shot and killed unarmed. Then to see the video footage of our young brother Tyre, I can only explained it as an execution! While more information comes out about the unlawful traffic stop, to see the gruesome video was horrendous. As I watched Tyre say, ” I am on the ground! I didn’t do anything! You are doing too much! I just want to go home! “, I can only envision the thoughts, fear, and bewilderment he had. No one deserves such a brutal and unjustified beating. The police are suppose to protect our rights. It was an abuse of authority, power, and a lack of respect for the community.
We demand JUSTICE! This incident did not happen because of a lack of judgement. This was not a simple mistake. This was an example of bad policing. This shows a police culture that deals with black people differently from other races. There is no other way to call it. It was torture! It was an unnecessary beating of a man. The police showed no ethics, and from the beginning of the traffic stop the police were immoral. We are asking that the black communities everywhere stand up and show support for the family. We cannot be quiet while this type of abuse is happening on the daily. This murder is not just a civil rights issue. The culture of the police needs to me more than questioned, it needs to be changed. You would think that black police officers would have a better understanding. I am afraid that our community will start normalizing Police brutality just as it seems we have normalized the violence in our community. This incident seems to be a police culture and training issue. We must fight for truth and fight for what the laws should be doing. PROTECTING US!
ONE GOD! ONE AIM! ONE DESTINY
THE UNIVERSAL NEGRO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION- AFRICAN COMMUNITIES LEAGUE ( UNIA-ACL ) is a charitable, educational, friendly, humanitarian, institutional, social, constructive, expansive society Founded by the honorable Marcus Garvey! The motto of the organization is “One God! One Aim! One Destiny!” Therefore, let justice be done to all mankind, realizing that if the strong oppresses the weak confusion and discontent will ever mark the path of man, but with love, faith and charity towards all the reign of peace and plenty will be heralded into the world and the generations of men shall be called blessed. The Baltimore division is named after General Hannibal Barca and Dr John Henrik Clarke. Our Baltimore division has main mission is attending to the task of helping and healing our people in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area.
We follow the teachings of The Honorable Marcus Garvey to build Solidarity, Strength and Self-Sufficiency in our Communities. In the Spirit of Hannibal Barca and in the footsteps of John Henrik Clarke, we will Inspire, Activate and Educate our people about their African History and The Pan-African Liberation Struggle