Firefighters tackle blaze at Minneapolis protest

The US National Guard cordoned off areas of Minneapolis late on Friday night to allow firefighters to tackle blazes across the city after protests following the killing of George Floyd on Monday.

Demonstrators marched, stopped traffic and in some cases lashed out violently at police as protests erupted Friday in dozens of US cities following the Floyd's death, which came after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck while taking him into custody.

In Minneapolis, where a police precinct was burned the night before, peaceful protests picked up steam as darkness fell, with thousands of people ignoring an 8 pm curfew to walk streets in the southern part of the city. Some cars were set on fire in scattered neighbourhoods, business break-ins began and eventually there were larger fires.

As a pair of restaurants and a Wells Fargo bank branch were set ablaze, a heavy contingent of National Guard, state troopers and police moved in, some on foot and some in vehicles.