US Authorities Made Over 10,000 Arrests During Nationwide George Floyd Protests - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th June, 2020) A total of over 10,000 people have been arrested in protests against racism and police brutality that erupted across the United States in the wake of the death of an African American man, George Floyd, in police custody last month, the Associated Press (AP) news agency's tally revealed on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the number stood at 9,300.

According to the media outlet, arrests in the city of Los Angeles alone account for a quarter of all the arrests, followed by New York, Dallas and Philadelphia. Most of them were made for minor offenses, such as curfew violations.

Hundreds of people have also been arrested on charges of robbery and looting.

The news agency added that it did not include Wednesday's arrest reports.

Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died in police custody in the US city of Minneapolis on May 25. A video of the arrest posted online shows white police officer Derek Chauvin pressing Floyd's neck with his knee for at least eight minutes while Floyd was kept on his stomach in handcuffs, repeating that he could not breathe. He died shortly after.

The man's death sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and racism. However, many have turned into riots complete with violence against police and civilians.

Amid the unrest, the county medical examiner ruled Floyd's death a homicide, and Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.