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This headline sums up the current situation in America

A CNN Tonight headline has gone viral on social media as the US faces up to the coronavirus crisis and another night of rioting.

News anchor Don Lemon presented the show as protests broke out over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

It comes as Coronavirus deaths in the country top 100,000 – by far the highest in the world.

Protests

Protests in the US erupted on Tuesday after Mr Floyd’s death in a confrontation with police was captured on a widely seen video.

On the footage, Mr Floyd can be seen pleading as Officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against him.

As minutes pass, Mr Floyd slowly stops talking and moving.

The death has deeply shaken Minneapolis and sparked protests in cities across the US. Local leaders have repeatedly urged demonstrators to avoid violence.

“Please stay home”

“Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again,” tweeted St Paul mayor Melvin Carter, who is black.

The US attorney’s office and the FBI in Minneapolis said they are conducting “a robust criminal investigation” into the death. Mr Trump has said he had asked an investigation to be expedited.

The FBI is also investigating whether Mr Floyd’s civil rights were violated.

Related: Brutal reaction to lockdown restrictions being lifted goes viral

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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