By Meredith Yeomans | NBCDFW
There is growing outrage over the shooting deaths of peaceful protestors in Nigeria. Nearly 70 people have died during two weeks of demonstrations against police brutality. The unrest set off protests in Dallas last Saturday in a show of solidarity with those fighting a battle they say transcends borders.
Hundreds gathered outside Dallas City Hall to draw awareness to what’s happening in Nigeria where conflict intensified this week.
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Tuesday, Nigerian Security Forces reportedly killed at least a dozen peaceful protestors.
It followed days of demonstrations against the Nigerian Special Anti-Robbery Squad, widely known as SARS, a notorious police unit accused of torture and murder.
https://nbcdfw.com/portableplayer/?CID=1:8:2466185&videoID=1811447363525&origin=nbcdfw.com&fullWidth=yThe protests spread online around the world from Beyonce calling it “senseless brutality” to Rihanna and Idris Elba.
In Dallas, the names of those killed in the unrest were read aloud Saturday to an audience full of people with family there.
“The thing that really hits me is the fact that that could have easily been me if was down there,” said 19-year-old Aaron Lawson, who said he left Nigeria when he was 11.
Lorraine Birabil is the first Nigerian-American elected to the Texas legislature.
Much of her family lives in Nigeria. She said we should all care about what’s happening there.
“The things that we hold dear even as Americans, all of that is being violated right. Human rights are really what this fight is about and what’s at stake,” said Birabil.
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Nigeria is Africa’s economic powerhouse with 200 million people. Texas is home to more Nigerian nationals than any other state.
Read from source NBCDFW