Massive demonstrations against racism take to streets in the U.S. and around the world

People across the U.S. and other parts of the world are gathering in major demonstrations on Saturday against racism and police violence, marking the 12th consecutive night of protests since the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota last month. 

In Washington D.C., thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and near the White House in what was likely the city’s largest demonstration yet. Authorities were expecting up to 200,000 people in the nation’s capital, according to NBC’s local affiliate. 

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and many other cities from coast to coast. 

In San Francisco, thousands of protestors marched across the Golden Gate Bridge, blocking traffic.

Massive demonstrations have also broken out across the world from Europe to Australia, with tens of thousands of protesters calling for an end to racism and police brutality in their own countries. 

More than 43,300 National Guard members are on duty on Saturday in 34 states and D.C to respond to protests, many of which have been peaceful. In some cases, peaceful protests have been followed with looting and violence at night. 

A memorial service is being held in Raeford, North Carolina today for Floyd, a black man whom a white Minneapolis police officer pinned under his knee for more than eight minutes.

The incident was caught on video and the fired officer, Derek Chauvin, faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Three other officers were also fired and charged with aiding and abetting murder.

In response to widespread anger and protesting, some cities have responded to police brutality by suspending officers who have been caught on camera being violent towards protesters, as well as banning police tactics like chokeholds and the use of tear gas and rubber bullets. 

Two Buffalo Police officers who have received national criticism after a video was captured showing them shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground and leaving him bleeding in front of Buffalo City Hall on Thursday night. They were charged with assault in the second degree on Saturday. 

In Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner arrested and charged a city police department staff inspector with aggravated assault after the inspector struck a protesting college student in the head with a baton on Monday. The student had serious injuries including a head wound that required staples. 

Two NYPD officers were also suspended after they were caught on video attacking demonstrators. One officer shoved a woman to the ground in Brooklyn and another officer pulled a protester’s facemask down and pepper sprayed him.

Other videos show multiple instances of abuse by New York officers, including one video that showed a police car plowing through a crowd of demonstrators and another of officers using batons against peaceful protesters in order to move them. 

Minneapolis city leaders agreed on Friday to ban the use of chokeholds by police. In Seattle, police Chief Carmen Best ordered officers to stop using tear gas on protesters over the next 30 days.

And in Colorado, a federal judge in Denver passed a temporary restraining order on that Friday that bans police from using tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protesters. 

Here are photos of demonstrations around the world: