Four Minneapolis policemen fired after death of unarmed black man

Protesters gather at the scene where George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was arrested by police officers before dying in hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. May 26, 2020. REUTERS/Eric Miller

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Four Minneapolis police officers were fired on Tuesday over the death of an unarmed black man seen in a video lying face down in the street, gasping for air and groaning, "I can't breathe," while a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

Hours after the officers' dismissals were announced, thousands of protesters filled the streets around the scene of Monday evening's deadly incident in a boisterous but peaceful rally. Many in the crowd wore facial coverings to protect against spread of the coronavirus.