Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin taken into custody after George Floyd death

Mr Floyd died on Monday after the cop was filmed pushing his knee down on his neck - despite the victim repeatedly saying he could not breathe

Police officer Derek Chauvin has been taken into custody following the death of George Floyd.

Mr Floyd died on Monday after the cop was filmed pushing his knee down on his neck - despite the victim repeatedly saying he could not breathe.

Horrifying footage of the incident has sparked huge anger, with widespread protests and calls for officers to face murder charges.

Chauvin was later fired, along with three other police officers involved in the arrest.

Witnesses have disputed the Minneapolis Police Department's claims that 46-year-old Mr Floyd - who was unarmed - was resisting arrest.

Today Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins said Chauvin and Mr Floyd knew each other because they had both worked as bouncers at the same nightclub.

New footage which emerged today appears to show three officers kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck.

Tragically he died in hospital a short time after the footage was taken.

In a statement today former President Barack Obama called for the incident to be fully investigated.

He wrote: "It can't be 'normal.' If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better."

Mr Floyd's death has sparked outrage around the world, and his brother Philonise Floyd has branded it an "execution".

He told CNN 's New Day: "These guys need to be arrested, convicted of murder, and given the death penalty.

"They need to. They took my brother's life."

Earlier today Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called for an end to the violent protests and said he expected "swift" justice for the officers involved.

Shocking footage showed Mr Floyd repeatedly moaning and gasping while he pleaded to the officer kneeling on his neck, saying: "Please, I can't breathe."

After several minutes, he gradually went quiet and ceased to move.

Walz said he understood what was driving the protests saying he believed the community had "lost faith" in the police force and "felt they were part of the problem."

Today US President Donald Trump took to Twitter and branded rioters "thugs", and threatened "when the looting starts, the shooting starts".

The tweet violated rules against "glorifying violence" and Twitter hid the message behind a disclaimer and banned likes based on fears the president's threat could inspire further acts of violence.

Now, Trump has gone on to share the same tweet from the official White House account - only for the platform to swiftly block it again on the same grounds.

Yesterday the city's mayor said the victim was "killed because he is black".

Jacob Frey said: "I'm not a prosecutor, but let me be clear, the arresting officer killed someone.

"As to the precise charge, I'm not going to get into that."

The mayor then went on to say "he'd be alive today if he were white."

"The facts that I've seen, which are minimal, certainly lead me down the path that race was involved," he said.