George Floyd protest in Australia set to be attended by thousands of people is CANCELLED at the last minute over fears the rally could spark violence
- A protest planned at Hyde Park in Sydney on Tuesday at 5pm was cancelled
- Americans are protesting after George Floyd died at the hands of a white cop
- Floyd gasped for breath as Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes
- Multiple other 'peaceful protests' have been organised across the country
A peaceful Sydney rally to protest the alleged murder of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of a white cop has been cancelled.
Tens of thousands of Americans have been protesting after Floyd's death ignited nationwide outrage over police brutality and systemic racism.
Floyd, a 46-year-old father-of-two, was filmed gasping for breath as Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes before he died in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department on Monday.
Minnesota - where Floyd died - has born the brunt of the protests which began there on Tuesday before fanning out across the country.
A march planned at Sydney's Hyde Park on Tuesday evening was cancelled after people 'threatened to wreak havoc and protest against the event'.
'Although Australia is far from where the murder took place, we have a voice. We stand with Minneapolis and their people calling for a raise in the degree,' organisers wrote.
'Although Australia is far from where the murder took place, we have a voice,' organisers wrote when cancelling the Sydney event
A march planned at Sydney's Hyde Park on Tuesday evening was cancelled after people 'threatened to wreak havoc and protest against the event'. Pictured: Protestors are seen during the Invasion Day rally in Brisbane, January 26, 2020
'This event was meant to be a time for Aboriginal voices to be heard, but due to uncertainty of safety for all involved, we would like to advise a cancellation of the protest.
'Safety is always priority, and it breaks the hearts of everyone involved to have to cancel this event.'
More than 1,500 people had signed up to attend the march while 3,900 people had said they were interested in attending.
Originally the event was called 'BLM (Black Lives Matter) & George Floyd Peaceful Protest Sydney' before it was changed to target Australians.
'This is a PEACEFUL PROTEST for the misrepresentation of our Indigenous population in the legal system, as well as in solidarity to George Floyd,' the Facebook event read.
'Australia however, is not exempt from injustices faced for people of colour and the Indigenous population.'
Meanwhile, a vigil is planned in Chippendale on Saturday called 'Stop All Black Deaths in Custody: Vigil for George Floyd'.
More than 1,500 people had signed up to attend the march while 3,900 people had said they were interested in attending. Pictured: Protestors in Sydney's Pitt Street on January 26
Charlotte, North Carolina: Demonstrators chant and raise their arms during a protest in downtown Charlotte on Saturday
Officer Derek Chauvin (pictured) was identified as the officer pinning down George Floyd in video footage that was widely shared on Tuesday
'This vigil will be held on unceded Gadigal Land. The organisers pay their respects to elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded,' the event reads.
'The organisers recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 12 times more likely to be incarcerated, are targeted by police, and are on the frontlines of resistance against state violence every single day.'
Similar protests have been planned for Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne with thousands of Australians expected to attend.
A Brisbane protest is planned to begin at King George Square from 1pm Saturday.
'Protest in Solidarity with the uprising in the US and against the murder of Aboriginal people in custody,' the Facebook event for Brisbane says.
The Adelaide event is planned for Victoria Square at midday on Saturday, with organisers describing it as a 'colossal moment in history'.
'The movement (in the US) has unleashed the built-up anger at a system that murders Black and working people in cold blood,' the Adelaide event says.
'The power of ordinary people is on display.
'We are also rallying in protest of police violence, racism, and the murder of black people in this country, and in solidarity with the Aboriginal liberation struggle.'
Charlotte, North Carolina: Police stand guard during a protest in downtown Charlotte Saturday night
Raleigh, North Carolina: Police in riot gear deploy tear gas at protesters front of the the old courthouse on Saturday
In Minneapolis, riots spiralled out of control Saturday night local time as cop cars were torched, stores were looted and at least 11 states activated the National Guard on a fifth night of protests that show no signs of stopping.
At least three people were killed during protests across the US and dozens more were injured. In Minneapolis, protesters were seen fleeing after cops hurled tear gas into the crowds while some responded by launching fireworks back at officers.
The National Guard was activated to defend the White House from attack as the Secret Service agents on the ground struggled to keep control of crowds descending on the seat of the US government.
New York was ablaze as NYPD vehicles were torched and ransacked while shocking footage emerged of cops violently detaining protesters.
A man was left critically injured in Dallas when he was attacked and stomped on by a group of people when he allegedly tried to defend a store with a large sword.
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In Atlanta a cop suffered 'significant injuries' when they were hit by an ATV, while in Chicago, a man commandeered a police horse and rode off on it.
Los Angeles deployed the National Guard for the first since the 1992 riots when the police officers who beat up black man Rodney King walked free of all charges and California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in LA County.
A total of 11 states and the District of Columbia had activated the National Guard by the early hours of Sunday, as law enforcement buckled under the strain of the protests.
States calling for Guard assistance included California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington state.
Raleigh, North Carolina: Raleigh Police block Fayetteville Street at Hargett Street as they work to return order after a night of violent demonstrations early Sunday morning
Charlotte, North Carolina: Demonstrators are seen locking arms during a protest on Saturday night in downtown Charlotte
Meanwhile at least 25 cities roll out emergency curfews to try to bring rioting and looting under control, including San Francisco, Atlanta, Louisville, Los Angeles, Portland, Columbia, South Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Seattle.
President Trump has put the Army on notice to deploy to the streets with a four-hour notice - the first time this will have been done in almost 20 years during the 1992 LA riots over the beating of black man Rodney King by cops.
Minnesota - where Floyd died - has born the brunt of the protests which began there Tuesday before fanning out across the country.
Rioting was still going on in the early hours of Sunday, with the Minneapolis police department reporting a big group of protesters on foot and in vehicles throwing missiles of some sort at cops.
Minnesota Dept of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell announced early Sunday there had been 'dozens' of arrests through the night but no 'substantive' injuries.
Charlotte, North Carolina: Protesters are seen running from officers who started using tear gas during Saturday night's protest
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