Protesters in Minneapolis clash with police after death of black man officers had pinned down

Hundreds gathered to protest and express their anger over the death of a black man who died in police custody.

The protests began after four police officers were fired on Tuesday when video emerged that showed George Floyd, 46, pleading for his life and saying he couldn’t breathe as a Minneapolis officer dug his knee into his neck. Floyd slowly lost consciousness and was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to police.

The protesters marched to a police precinct building and were seen on social media chanting, holding signs, and, in some cases, throwing objects at police cars. Officers in riot gear surrounded the precinct building Tuesday evening and deployed tear gas and smoke grenades.

Aerial videos showed a sea of people in the roads demonstrating Floyd’s death. Police also reportedly deployed stun grenades against the protesters.

The FBI is investigating Floyd’s death, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the officer involved failed “in the most basic human sense.”

“Being black in America should not be a death sentence,” the mayor said. “For five minutes, we watched a white officer press his knee into a black man’s neck. Five minutes. When you hear someone calling for help, you’re supposed to help.”