'End SARS' Activists Gather At LA City Hall For Vigil To Speak Out For Police Brutality Victims In Nigeria
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/CBS News) -- The worldwide #EndSARS movement, which calls for an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) within the Nigerian Police Force, has made its way to Los Angeles.
Protests emerged about two weeks ago after a video circulated showing a man being beaten, apparently by SARS forces.
A candlelight vigil was held for victims of SARS in front of Los Angeles City Hall at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Protesters say they are calling for peace and hoping to raise awareness about security forces opening fire on and even killing people protesting police brutality in the country.
Amnesty International said late Tuesday there was "credible but disturbing evidence" that security forces in Nigeria's capital of Lagos shot and killed protesters who broke the city's curfew.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said Wednesday that there were no confirmed deaths in the shooting, despite other reports, but he said the unrest was one of "darkest hours from our history as a people."
President Donald Trump had not spoken about the incident, but the U.S. Embassy issued a warning to American nationals in Nigeria on Tuesday warning that "multiple demonstrations are ongoing across" the country.
Vigils in honor of the SARS victims were also planned in New York, D.C., Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, Oakland and Seattle.
A growing list of celebrities and activists, including Rihanna, Beyoncé and Gabrielle Union, have spoken out about the reports of widespread abuses by officials in Nigeria.
