In Photos: America burns as citizens demand justice for George Floyd

America is burning, and that’s not a metaphor. Friday marked four nights of protests as American citizens from all walks of life, all colours and creeds, united to demand justice for George Floyd’s. Trevor Noah also shared his thoughts.

What is happening in America?

Protests flared up in Minneapolis earlier this week after George Floyd was killed by police officers. A video went viral showing officer Derek Chauvin, 46, with his knee on Floyd’s neck.

Fire crews work to put out fires after an apartment building under construction was burned to the ground during protests on Thursday in Minneapolis.Brian Peterson/Star Tribune/Getty Images

Floyd was pinned to the ground for nearly 9 minutes. When he stopped moving and slipped into a coma, officer Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for three more minutes.

Officer Chauvin wasn’t arrested for Floyd’s murder until protest turned violent on 29 May. Not only had America been burning for four days at that point, but thousands had been arrested, including a CNN reporter.

Omar Jimenez began his workday before dawn on Friday and didn’t expect to be taken in custody less than two hours. Jimenez didn’t break the law in any way, and his was arrest was live-streamed on television.

• 

  Minnesota State Patrol troopers block a road in Minneapolis on Friday, the fourth day of protests calling for justice for George Floyd, who died in police custody.Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images

• 

  Two police officers stand on the roof of the Third Precinct holding a projectile launcher during Wednesday’s demonstration in Minneapolis.Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images

George Floyd’s death: Trevor Noah speaks out

For this week’s Daily Show segment, show host Trevor Noah shared in an 18-min video in which he unpacks George Floyd’s death at the hands of officer Derek Chauvin.

This video had no trace of Noah’s usual jabs, frills or joke. Instead, Noah showed how the dots connect between the way American citizens perceive African Americans, and the death of Ahmaud Arbery and now Floyd.

“A lot of people don’t seem to realise how dominoes connect. How one piece knocks another peice, that knocks another piece, that in the end, creates a giant wave. […] Everything that happens in the world connects to something in some way, shape or form”.

Watch: Trevor Noah explains how it all connects

Widespread protests across America

In Minneapolis, citizens took to the street to demand justice for Floyd. Since then, citizens from more than 20 cities around America have taken to the streets with signs that read I Can’t Breath, Justice for Floyd, George Floyd: Say His Name, and Black Lives Matter.

Protests are currently taking place in Detroit, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Columbus, DC, Richmond, Louisville, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, St Louis, Memphis, Indianapolis, Dallas, Houston, Omaha, San Jose, Las Vegas, Seattle, Denver, Des Moines, Sacramento, Kansas City.

A firework explodes as a fire burns Wednesday inside an Auto Zone store near the Third Precinct in Minneapolis.Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

As reported by Joe Sutton from CNN, dozens were arrested in Minneapolis late on Friday evening, with the state planning to mobilise 1 700 National Guard soldiers.

In addition, former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin’s wife filed for a dissolution of marriage. It was also revealed by the police department that Chauvin had 18 previous complaints against him.

Chauvin – who is thus far the only officer to be arrested out of the group of four involved in Floyd’s death – was charged with third-degree murder on 29 May 2020.

• 

  Members of a crowd call for justice for George Floyd in Minneapolis on Wednesday.Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images

• 

  Citizens march on Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis on Tuesday while shouting slogans decrying Floyd’s death. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images