Protesters set fire to US police station following arrested black man’s death

Demonstrators have set fire to a US police station after video emerged online showing a police officer kneeling on the throat of black man who later died.

A Minneapolis Police Department spokesman said the protesters broke into the 3rd precinct station, which has become the scene of numerous demonstrations by those angered at the video showing 46-year-old George Floyd’s arrest.

The spokesman said police abandoned the building “in the interest of the safety of our personnel” while livestream video showed the protesters breaking in, setting the building ablaze and igniting fireworks as fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz earlier on Thursday called in the National Guard at the Minneapolis mayor’s request, but it was not immediately clear when and where the reserve force was being deployed and troops were not seen at protests in the city or nearby St Paul.