Massive Protests have continued in hundreds of US cities after George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The George Floyd protests, which have been launched throughout the country, are continuing on its 13th day with the participation of tens of thousands despite all the effort of the US government to quell the nationwide demonstrations.

The protesters are calling for an end to racism and police brutality, which kills hundreds of people in the United States every year.

Curfews in many cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, were lifted following a night of massive but overwhelmingly peaceful protests.

The mass protests are a significant moment for the Trump administration, which has drawn widespread criticism for its hardline, militarized response and divisive rhetoric during the crisis.

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed George Floyd, was arrested on May 29, Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman charged him with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, making him the first white officer in Minnesota to be charged in the death of a black civilian.

Under Minnesota law, third-degree murder is defined as causing another's death without intent to kill, but "evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life".

Second-degree manslaughter also does not imply lethal intent, but that the perpetrator created "an unreasonable risk" of serious harm or death.

On May 31, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison took over the case at the request of Governor Tim Walz. On June 3, Ellison amended the charges against Chauvin to include unintentional second-degree murder under the felony murder doctrine, alleging that Chauvin killed Floyd in the course of committing assault in the third degree; Minnesota sentencing guidelines recommend 12.5 years imprisonment on conviction of that charge. (ILKHA)