George Floyd: Protest in US over police ‘killing’ of  black man

Thousands of protesters demanding justice for 46-year-old George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, gathered at the intersection where Floyd was restrained and marched to a city police precinct before clashing with officers late Tuesday.

The horrifying video spread quickly on social media earlier in the day, showing the officer driving his knee into Floyd’s neck as the man repeatedly says he can’t breathe, USA Today reports.

Four officers involved in the Monday incident have been fired, and Floyd’s family and their attorney, Ben Crump, have called for their arrests.

Police have not identified the officers, but attorney Tom Kelly said he was representing Derek Chauvin, the officer seen with his knee on Floyd’s neck.

Chants of “I can’t breathe” filled Minneapolis’ streets Tuesday night as a crowd of protesters gathered near the intersection where Floyd died.

The group marched 2½ miles to a police precinct.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported the protest began peacefully but escalated in tension as the demonstrates reached the building.

Some protesters damaged windows and a police squad car while others sprayed painted graffiti.

Officers in riot gear fired tear gas and projectiles at the crowd who threw back water bottles and rocks, the Star Tribune reported.

The crowd fled to nearby businesses, including a Target, where some protesters created a barricade with shopping carts.

The Star Tribune reported that the store temporarily closed, and the protesters largely dispersed by 9 p.m.

Bridgett Floyd, George Floyd’s sister, told NBC‘s “Today” show that the four officers in the video should be charged with murder.

“I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because that’s exactly what they did. They murdered my brother; he was crying for help,” Floyd said Wednesday.

Chauvin keeps his knee pressed into Floyd’s neck and Floyd stops talking. About four minutes into the video, Floyd becomes unresponsive. Bystanders approach Chauvin and the officer draws something, causing one of the people off-camera to say, “He’s got mace.”