Nationwide Protests Call For , Police Reform , After the Death of Tyre Nichols.br On January 28, hundreds of demonstratorsbr took to the streets of Memphis demanding br justice, accountability and police reform.br NBC reports that the protests were driven by newly br released body camera footage showing the brutal br beating of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police.br Protestors voiced frustration over a long history of police br violence, corruption and the need to disband several br Memphis Police Department (MPD) tactical units.br On January 27, body camera video of policebr officers savagely beating Nichols, who died br three days later, was released to the public.br The release of the footage br taken on January 7 sparked br protests across the U.S. .br Mostly peaceful demonstrations took place in a number of cities across the country, including in Atlanta, Boston and Charlotte, North Carolina. .br Five police officers belonging to a police br tactical unit were fired and now face br charges of second-degree murder. .br The Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in br Our Neighborhoods, or SCORPION, tactical unit br was also disbanded by the police department.br In the process of listening intently br to the family of Tyre Nichols, community br leaders, and the uninvolved officers who br have done quality work in their assignment, br it is in the best interest of all to permanently br deactivate the SCORPION Unit, Memphis Police Department, via NBC.br NBC reports that the tactical unit was formed br in 2021 as the city's murder rate was skyrocketing br and the community was calling for action.