Al Sharpton Insists That if Tyre Nichols ‘Had Been White’ Police Wouldn’t have Beat him Like That While Delivering Eulogy

When it was announced that Al Sharpton was going to be delivering the eulogy for Tyre Nichols, it was expected that he would invoke race, despite the five officers initially charged also being black.

During a clip of the eulogy, Sharpton can be heard telling the audience that the Memphis police department keeps crime down on the “white” side of Memphis without being “rough and tough.”

“I believe if that man had been white, they wouldn’t have beat him like that (on) that night,” Sharpton insisted.

Al Sharpton at Tyre Nichols' funeral: "If [Tyre Nichols] had been white, you wouldn't have beaten him like that on that night." pic.twitter.com/9If9PS8J37

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 1, 2023

During another part of the eulogy, Sharpton also chastised the officers as he pointed out, “In the city that Dr. King lost his life, not far away from that balcony, you beat a brother to death.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton sharply criticized the five Black former police officers who beat and killed Tyre Nichols, saying, "In the city that Dr. King lost his life, not far away from that balcony, you beat a brother to death." https://t.co/HoJjATLye5 pic.twitter.com/BGFOcEY99B

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 1, 2023

Nichols’ family has demanded that federal lawmakers pass the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” which would hold officers personally liable.

Sharpton said prior to delivering the eulogy, “We are all Tyre now. We are all going to stand up with this family. They will never ever recover from the loss. Every holiday there will be a missing chair at their table.”

Kamala Harris also called for the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act” to be passed as she spoke at the funeral as well.

“Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe? Tyre Nichols should’ve been safe,” Harris asserted as Sharpton looked on.

"This violent act was not in pursuit of public safety," Vice President Kamala Harris says at Tyre Nichols' funeral.

"Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?" Harris says. "Tyre Nichols should've been safe." pic.twitter.com/A827Ja1K5T

— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 1, 2023