Nine days after George Floyd's death, protesters are still out on the streets of major cities across America.
The 46 year old was killed when a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd lay handcuffed and pinned to the ground gasping for breath on May 25.
Floyd, an African-American, had tested positive for the coronavirus in April, according to the medical examiner's report.
A Minnesota court has upgraded the charges against former Minneapolis police offcer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck, to second-degree murder. Three other officers present during the incident have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Former United States president Barack Obama held a livestream event in which he urged young Americans to 'stay hopeful' and take action. 'Just remember, this country was founded on protest,' Obama said.
General James Mattis slammed US President Donald J Trump, whose administration he once served as secretary of defense, as 'the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people.'
'We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership,' General Mattis said.
A protester is detained by New York police officers during a protest against George Floyd's death in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Demonstrations on Wednesday stayed largely calm, with fewer arrests and violent confrontations than the previous week.
There were clashes in New York between protesters and police, but authorities say the city was quieter than before, with no reported instances of looting. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
A demonstrator holds a sign during a Black Lives Matter protest in Brooklyn, New York City. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
Law enforcement officers hold a man during a protest against the death of George Floyd in New York. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
Demonstrators are detained by the police during the protest. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
People raise their fists during the protest in Brooklyn. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
Protesters in Portland, Oregon.
The Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union called on police and public officials to stop using 'indiscriminate weapons against protesters' such as tear gas and stun grenades.
The ACLU also called on the police to adopt practices that do not heighten the risk of contracting coronavirus which has had a disproportionate impact on people of colour. Photograph: Terray Sylvester/Reuters
A light projection reading 'Stop killer cops' is seen on a building during a protest near the White House in Washington, DC. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar speaks at the scene of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
A demonstrator holds a placard depicting George Floyd at a protest in Los Angeles. Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/Reuters
A memorial at the site where George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images
A protester holds a 'Black Lives Matter' sign in front of National Guard troops posted outside the district attorney's office in Los Angeles. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Demonstrators sing Lean On Me near the White House. Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Images
-- With inputs from ANI
