FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM HIS ROYAL MAJESTY CO-COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF PRESIDENT JOSEPH BIDEN!
Statement from President Joe Biden on the Tyre Nichols Case
Jill and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community. Tyre’s family deserves a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his death.
As Americans grieve, the Department of Justice conducts its investigation, and state authorities continue their work, I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest. Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable. Violence is destructive and against the law. It has no place in peaceful protests seeking justice.
Public trust is the foundation of public safety and there are still too many places in America today where the bonds of trust are frayed or broken. Tyre’s death is a painful reminder that we must do more to ensure that our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all.
We also cannot ignore the fact that fatal encounters with law enforcement have disparately impacted Black and Brown people.
To deliver real change, we must have accountability when law enforcement officers violate their oaths, and we need to build lasting trust between law enforcement, the vast majority of whom wear the badge honorably, and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect.
That is why I called on Congress to send the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to my desk. When they didn’t, I signed an executive order that included stricter use of force standards and accountability provisions for federal law enforcement, as well as measures to strengthen accountability at the state and local level.
Today, we all must re-commit ourselves to the critical work that must be done to advance meaningful reforms.
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"Jill and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community. Tyre’s family deserves a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his death. As Americans grieve, the Department of Justice conducts its investigation, and state authorities continue their work, I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest. Outrage."
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Remarks by President Biden Before Marine One Departure
South Lawn
5:49 P.M. EST
Q Talk to us about Tyre Nichols, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. I spoke with Tyre’s mother and expressed my condolences, and told her that I was going to be making the case to the Congress to pass the George Floyd Act. We should get this under control. I can only do so much in an executive order at a federal level.
And — and the prayers — I was really pleased that she called for no — peaceful protests, no — no violence, no movement at all. And so, I — you know, I spoke with her about, I don’t know, 10, 15 minutes. And —
Q How concerned are you, sir, about the violence and the potential for that?
THE PRESIDENT: Well — well, I am. I’m — I’m obviously very concerned about it. But I think she has made a very strong plea. She’s obviously in enormous pain.
She talked about, as you heard her when she spoke publicly — but she also talked about how — how she didn’t know what she was going to do. And I told her that — that it — that — I told her I had some idea of what that loss was like and that although it’s impossible to believe now, the time will come when his memory brings a smile before a tear. And she said she already is thinking about what — what he would want her to do, which is — which is very positive. So —
Q What is at stake tonight, sir, with the nation watching this video tape and what could happen? What is at stake?
THE PRESIDENT: What’s at stake is, first of all, innocent people’s lives, number one.
Number two, it has a lot to say and do with the image of America. It has a lot to do with whether or not we are the country we say we are — that we’re a country of law and order and means by which we can peacefully protest and let the courts make their judgments.
Thank you very much.
5:51 P.M. EST
Learn more at
https://www.whitehouse.gov/?s=Tyre+Nichols
Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, January 30th 2023 at 11:19AM
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