Tyre Nichols Vigil, January 30, 2023
By Miriam Casey and Bob Wohlsen
In cities and towns across Northern California, community members gathered for conversation, vigils, and marches to remember Tyre Nichols, express their anger, and to encourage each other to continue to work to end the senseless deaths of citizens by the police, whose job it is to protect them.
In Santa Rosa, 75 came together for a solidarity vigil organized by Love and Light, a grassroots organization, at the new Unum sculpture in Courthouse Square on Monday evening. Individuals shared their personal stories about the impact of this most recent killing, by Memphis police, and other acts of violence in their families and neighborhoods. Many had candles, signs, and flowers that they placed by the sculpture, which represents all the diverse people in Sonoma County, to create an altar for Tyre.
It was good to be there to be with others, grieving and committing to work for necessary changes in our community policing culture and practices.