Anti-racism protests turn violent again, as another black man is killed

A Wendys restaurant in the background burns on Saturday night in Atlanta after protesters allegedly set it on fire. PIC/AP

An Atlanta police officer was fired and another officer was placed on administrative duty following the fatal shooting of a black man, the police department announced early on Sunday. Authorities said the slain man had grabbed an officer-s Taser following a field sobriety test, but was running away when he was shot.

The moves follows the Saturday resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, who stepped down as the Friday night killing of Rayshard Brooks, 27, sparked a new wave of protests in Atlanta after turbulent demonstrations following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police had simmered down.

Hundreds of people march peacefully in Tokyo on Sunday, highlighting the outrage over George Floyd-s death. Protests also held in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Pic/AFP

The terminated officer was identified as Garrett Rolfe and the officer placed on administrative duty is Devin Brosnan. Protesters on Saturday night set fire to the Wendy-s restaurant where Brooks was fatally shot the night before. The fire was out by 11.30 pm, but video from local news stations showed it again aflame around 4 am on Sunday. Atlanta police said 36 people were arrested at protests as of midnight.

Atlanta police were called to the restaurant on a complaint that a man was sleeping in a car, where he fell asleep, blocking the drive-thru lane as customers waited in line. According to video footage, he had resisted the arrest, grabbed a Taser from an officer and started running away, when he was shot. Gerald Griggs, an attorney, said, "They could have used nonlethal force to take him down."

Secret Service admits using pepper spray on protesters before Trump-s June 1 photo-op

The US Secret Service on Saturday has reported that an agency employee used pepper spray on the anti-racism protesters on June 1 to clear the Lafayette Square ahead of President Donald Trump-s photo-op at a local church. "Released information stating the agency had concluded that no agency personnel used tear gas or capsicum spray during efforts to secure the area near Lafayette Park on Monday, June 1... Since that time, the agency has learned that one agency employee used pepper spray during that effort," CNN quoted the statement released by the Secret Service. It further read: "The employee utilised oleoresin capsicum spray, or pepper spray, in response to an assaultive individual."

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