SARS protest takes place in downtown Montgomery

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Protest in Nigeria and America are calling for an end of police brutality, violence, and SARS, a Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Nigeria.

The police unit is viewed by many Nigerians as abusive and violent. Human rights organization Amnesty International has recorded 82 cases of SARS abuse over the past three years, including beatings and sexual assaults.

Protesters in Montgomery say they’re upset about these and recent actions happening in Nigeria against peaceful protesters.

“They cut off the streetlights, social ammonites they cut it off then what happened law enforcement agents trooped in and started shooting at peaceful protesters,” protester Otii Sobeiekon said.

Protesters say police brutality is not a Nigerian or an American issue, but they described it as a global pandemic and say it time for a change.

“We want actions we don’t want words we don’t want the government to end a group and start another group,” protestor Comforc Doutimiwei.

“We need to rise up anywhere we see injustice and say no, we do not want this in our world,” protest organizer Babafemi Akinkugde said.

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