George Floyd's death: US continues to burn with violent protests

Demonstrators start a fire as near the White House in Washington

The US remained a tinderbox of anger and emotion as violent protests erupted for a sixth day across the country over the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd, resulting in the death of at least five people, the arrest of thousands and placing of curfew in nearly 40 cities, while forcing President Donald Trump to take shelter in a White House bunker.

Considered to be the worst ever civil unrest in the US in decades, the violent protests have engulfed at least 140 cities across America in the days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis on Monday by a white cop who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath.

A young boy takes part in a demonstration against the death of George Floyd, in Atlanta, on Sunday. Pics/AP/AFP

Some of the protests have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 20 states. "At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem," The Washington Post reported.

Police have arrested at least 2,564 people in two dozen US cities over the weekend. The unrest that initially began in Minneapolis but has now spread across the US, with reports of violence coming in from across major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

'Extremist groups stoking violence'

US officials are seeking to determine whether extremist groups had infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped largely peaceful demonstrations toward violence - and if foreign adversaries were behind a burgeoning disinformation campaign on social media.
Federal law enforcement officials insisted far-left groups were stoking violence. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has said the US will designate far-left extremist group Antifa as a terrorist body in view of its role in the recent violence.

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