‘I can’t breathe’: agonising words of black man George Floyd, who died after white US policeman knelt on his neck for five minutes
- Video of handcuffed black man who died after a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck sparks fresh furor in the US
- Minneapolis mayor fired four police officers following the death in custody of George Floyd
Four Minneapolis police officers were fired on Tuesday over the death of an unarmed black man seen in a video lying face down in the street, gasping for air and groaning: “I can’t breathe,” while a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
Hours after the officers’ dismissals were announced, thousands of protesters filled the streets around the scene of Monday evening’s deadly incident in a boisterous but peaceful rally. Many in the crowd wore facial coverings to protect against spread of the coronavirus.
But the gathering took an unruly turn around dusk as police in riot gear fired tear gas and non-lethal beanbag rounds into the crowds while protesters hurled water bottles and other projectiles, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
The day began with Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo telling reporters that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had opened an inquiry at his request into the fatal arrest caught on video the night before.
Mayor Jacob Frey said at the same news briefing that regardless of the investigation’s outcome, it was clear the death of the man in custody, later identified as George Floyd, was unjustified, and that race was a factor.