On Monday, May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, spent his last moments face down in a Minneapolis street, with the knee of a white policeman pressing firmly down on his neck.
The incident, which was live-streamed on Facebook by a bystander, saw Floyd protesting that he could not breathe, before he fell unconscious.
A short time later, he was pronounced dead in hospital.
Floyd was arrested as he matched the description of a suspect who was accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store.
When police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck, he was unarmed and according to video evidence, he did not resist arrest.
As the video began to circulate online following Floyd's death, protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis with chants of "I can't breathe" – echoing some of the 46-year-old's last words.
Since then, protests across the city of Minneapolis have escalated into complete chaos, with protests also emerging in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington DC.
While some protests have remained peaceful, others have escalated, leading to arson and looting. As protests have become more chaotic, police have responded with tear gas, stun guns, and rubber bullets.
Since the protests began, Chauvin, the policeman involved, has been arrested and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter. At the time of reporting, the three other police officers involved in the arrest of Floyd have not yet been charged.
Across the United States, protesters are now calling for justice and an end to police brutality.
Here are 19 of the most powerful photos that have emerged from the protests across the United States.
Feature Image: AAP.
For more on this topic:
- Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd & Christian Cooper: The 'weapon' that could change everything.
- "This shouldn't be normal in 2020": Obama's poignant response to George Floyd's death.
- Stabbings, stun guns and tear gas: The escalating violence on the streets of Minneapolis.
- His name was George Floyd: Why you're seeing this man's face all over your social media feeds.
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