George Floyd: Minnesota clashes over death of black man in police custody

George Floyd: Minnesota clashes over death of black man in police custody – Video

There have been clashes between police and protesters in Minneapolis after the death on Monday of an unarmed black man in police custody in the US city.

Police fired tear gas and protesters threw rocks and sprayed graffiti on police cars.

Video of the death shows George Floyd, 46, groaning “I can’t breathe” as a white policeman kneels on his neck.

Four police officers have been fired, with the mayor saying that being black “should not be a death sentence”.

Mayor Jacob Frey also called on prosecutors to file criminal charges against the policeman who was filmed holding Mr Floyd.

The incident echoes the case of Eric Garner, who was placed in a police chokehold in New York in 2014. His death became a rallying call against police brutality and was a driving force in the Black Lives Matter movement.

The protest began in the afternoon on Tuesday, when hundreds of people came to the intersection where the incident had taken place on Monday evening.

Organisers tried to keep the protest peaceful and maintain coronavirus social distancing, with demonstrators chanting “I can’t breathe,” and “It could’ve been me”.

Man dies in MPD custody, 4 cops fired; protesters, police clash ...

Protester Anita Murray told the Washington Post: “It’s scary to come down here in the middle of the pandemic, but how could I stay away?”

A crowd of hundreds later marched to the 3rd Precinct, where the officers involved in the death are thought to have worked.

Squad cars were sprayed with graffiti and protesters threw stones at the police building. Police fired tear gas, flash grenades and foam projectiles.

One protester told CBS: “It’s real ugly. The police have to understand that this is the climate they have created.”

Another said: “I got on my knees and I put up a peace sign and they tear-gassed me.”

Police said one person had suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being shot away from the protest area but gave no further details.

Angry US protests for second night over police killing of black ...

Officers responding to reports of the use of counterfeit money had approached Mr Floyd in his vehicle.

According to police he was told to step away from the vehicle and physically resisted officers.

A police statement said: “Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress.”

The video taken at the scene does not show how the confrontation started.

It shows a white officer using his knee to pin Mr Floyd to the ground by the neck.

Video Credit: WCCO – CBS Minnesota

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