Cops who killed Tire Nichols a ‘disgrace to our race’: Al Sharpton

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton on Saturday accused the five black Memphis police officers accused of beating Tire Nichols to death of being a “disgrace to our race.”

“Do you think because you were black we wouldn’t say anything?” Angry Sharpton as he addressed a rally to more than 100 people at his National Action Network headquarters in Harlem.

“Did you think that you would hide behind your blackness?”

“I want to say loud and clear that we will fight against black cops, white cops and any cops of color who commit crimes against us,” he added.

“Your blackness will not stop us from fighting you. These five cops are not only disgracing their badges — they are disgracing our race.”

Sharpton also claimed the cops would not have been as aggressive towards a white man.

“These blacks thought they could get away with doing it to a black man,” the reverend said. “You know you couldn’t do that to a white guy in Tennessee. You’ll find you can’t get away with doing it to a black guy.”

Disturbing bodycam footage released on Friday shows Nichols being beaten, pepper-sprayed and verbally abused by police during a traffic stop on January 7. The 29-year-old, a FedEx employee and father of a four-year-old boy, died in hospital three days later.

City of Memphis

Memphis Police Department/AFP via Getty Images

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Read more about the Post’s coverage of Tire Nichols’ death

The five officers were fired and arrested, each charged with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official repression, in addition to second-degree murder.

The Memphis Police Department identified them as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. They range in age from 24 to 32 years and each served about 2 1/2 to five years in the department.

Officers were released from the Shelby County Jail on Friday after posting bail of between $250,000 and $350,000.