Legendary pro skateboarder Tony Hawk and BMX rider Rick Thorne are showing their support for Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old man who was beaten to death by Memphis Police after a traffic stop.
According to an announcement on Twitter, the pair are autographing photos to raise money for the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which will put funds towards the building a public skatepark named in Nichols’ honor in order to “keep his legacy alive.”
Nichols was an accomplished skateboarder.
As we mourn the loss of a man who had much ahead of him, I want to showcase #TyreNichols in his true essence. He was a loving father, considerate son, & loyal friend with a passion for skateboarding & photography. Rest in power & know that we’ll seek justice.
🎥: Austin Dean pic.twitter.com/fYAKPfdlzv
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 28, 2023
“My proceeds from these will go to the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which includes plans to build a public skatepark in his honor; as our worlds continue to grieve his loss. He was a talented skater among other admirable traits. Let’s keep his legacy alive,” Hawk wrote on Twitter.
From The Guardian: Nichols, 29, was a lot of things: a father, photographer, lover of sunsets and a skater. Due to its public image as a nuisance to polite society, skateboarding is a hobby intimately familiar with skirmishes with law enforcement; for Black skaters, who are often seen as outsiders in a world of outsiders, these interactions can be particularly fraught.
Since the news broke, the skateboarding community has come together to condemn the death and spread a joyful video of Tyre doing what he loved – skating. Celebrated Black skaters such as Stevie Williams have spoken out about the killing on social media, and this weekend saw skaters take to the streets from Memphis to Los Angeles to Keep Pushing for Tyre in remembrance.