Newly released dashcam footage from the Tennessee Highway Patrol has contradicted viral claims that state troopers ran over a man during a large anti-ICE protest in Memphis on Sunday, according to state officials.
The department faced widespread criticism after partial video clips circulated online and were amplified by some local media outlets and social media users.
Those clips appeared to show a man described as a “marshal” helping direct traffic slipping beneath the front of a Tennessee Highway Patrol vehicle during a confrontation between police and protesters.
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However, full dashcam footage released by the department shows a different sequence of events.
The video depicts an unidentified man standing in front of a patrol SUV, gesturing for the vehicle to stop.
He then bends down in front of the cruiser before rising again.
The footage shows the man standing up without assistance, appearing unharmed, and walking away from the scene.
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“In Memphis, there are social media posts alleging that an individual was hit by a Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper,” the department said in a statement posted to Facebook.
“This is false. Have a look for yourself.”
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the video demonstrates that the man was not struck or injured by the vehicle and that claims to the contrary were inaccurate.
“We respect and protect the right of people to protest peacefully,” the statement continued.
“That right, however, does not include entering active roadways or placing themselves in danger.”
According to the department, the dashcam footage clearly documents the man’s actions and refutes the narrative that he was run over.
“In this case, video clearly shows the individual holding onto the front of the trooper’s vehicle, lying down, then standing right back up afterwards and leaving the scene under his own power,” the statement said.
“At no point does the video show the individual being run over or injured, despite the narratives circulating on social media,” police added.
“Our priority is always public safety…for motorists, protesters and certainly our troopers.”
The release of the full video directly contradicts earlier reporting by outlets including WMC-TV, which stated Sunday that “phone video from the scene also shows a patrol vehicle striking a protest marshal who was standing on the street in front of the vehicle.”
The Memphis protest was part of a broader wave of anti-ICE demonstrations that erupted across the country in recent days following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
Federal authorities have said ICE officer Jonathan Ross acted in self-defense after Good allegedly bumped him with her vehicle. Critics, however, have disputed that account and argued that Good was wrongfully shot and killed.
The national attention surrounding the Minneapolis incident has fueled protests in multiple cities, including Memphis, where demonstrators gathered to oppose federal immigration enforcement and ICE operations.
Police confirmed that one woman was arrested during the Memphis protest.
No additional details about the arrest or potential charges were immediately released.
The department said the decision to release the full dashcam footage was made to address misinformation circulating online and to provide the public with a complete and accurate account of what occurred.
Officials reiterated that while peaceful protest is protected, actions that place individuals or others in danger are not, and they urged the public to rely on verified information rather than edited or incomplete clips shared on social media.
As protests related to immigration enforcement continue nationwide, law enforcement agencies have increasingly turned to body camera and dashcam footage to counter viral claims and provide documentation of confrontations that unfold during demonstrations.
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