US cities erupt into violence as George Floyd protestors clash with police

Protesters and police clashed in cities across the US over the killing of an unarmed African-American man in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers.

A crowd of several hundred people congregated outside the White House on Friday, demanding justice over the death of George Floyd. The White House was placed on security lockdown for some time as a result. , Atlanta, Minnesota, New York and other regions have all seen violent protests.

A Minneapolis police officer, 44 year-old Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with murder over Floyd's death in custody. Footage showed Chauvin, kneeling on 46-year-old Floyd's neck on Monday. He and three other officers have since been dismissed.

Chauvin is scheduled to appear in a Minneapolis court on Monday.

Violence enveloped New York's Brooklyn district, with protesters, throwing projectiles at police, starting fires and destroying police vehicles. A number of officers were injured and many demonstrators arrested.

In a tweet, New York mayor Bill de Blasio said: "We don't ever want to see another night like this."

On Friday evening, crowds gathered near the White House in Washington waving photographs of Floyd and chanting "I can't breathe" - Floyd’s last words and those of Eric Garner, another black man who died in 2014, after police held him in a chokehold in New York.

The White House was then temporarily placed on lockdown, with the Secret Service closing entrances and exits.

President Donald Trump has described the incident as "a terrible, terrible thing" and said he had spoken to the Floyd family, describing them as "terrific people".