Crowd gathers in downtown Raleigh to join in protests over the death of Tyre Nichols

About 100 people gathered outside the police department in downtown Raleigh Saturday, joining in a nationwide series of protests over the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

The protesters gathered on Fayetteville Street. Police have closed a portion of Salisbury Street in front of the courthouse.

The protest has been peaceful, with speakers calling for police reform and an end to police brutality. The crowd is now marching toward the Capitol, chanting the name Daryl Williams, a Raleigh man who died after being tased several times by police.

Dawn Blagrove, with Emancipate NC, called on the Raleigh Police Department to end proactive policing, to fire the officers who tased williams and for the City Council to divest from the Raleigh Police Department.

“No one should be electrocuted in a parking lot,” she said, referencing Williams.

The protesters plan to march to the Capitol, then the Governor’s Mansion, then back to the police department.

This is a developing story and will be updated.