Washington set for large protests against police brutality
Demonstrators started to amass in Washington on Saturday, with the US capital's ninth day of protests against police brutality following George Floyd's killing expected to be the largest yet.
Officials are expecting the biggest gathering since the protests began, with multiple events planned in different locations.
Demonstrators have already started gathering outside the iconic Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr led a famous rally for civil rights in 1963.
Marches are set to depart from Congress, and numerous events are scheduled outside the White House from the afternoon into the night, being held by various entities, including black community groups and a gay and lesbian rights organization.
Across the country
Protests have been taking place across the country following the death of George Floyd, 46, in Minnesota. A police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Four officers have been arrested, with one facing murder charges, and the others for aiding and abetting.
Instances of rioting and looting nationally have largely, though not totally, stopped. Some cities, including Washington, saw chaos and violence in their streets last weekend and early this week, revealing pent up anger over police violence and racial discrimination.
The capital has become the focal point of the protests, in part as anger is directed towards President Donald Trump, who has taken a tough approach towards protests, using federal forces to disperse mostly peaceful demonstrators outside the White House on Monday.
While the president has spoken about the need for equality, he has kept his distance from the growing movement in the country and has increasingly seemed at odds with the demands for systemic change.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has openly supported the protests, renaming the area of the Monday crackdown "Black Lives Matter Plaza," in what is also seen as a defiant move against the president and his efforts to repeatedly use federal forces in the district.
Trump at the White House
Trump decided to spend the weekend at the White House, behind expanded barricades. Security forces have cordoned off the public park in front of the building, which is normally open for pedestrian traffic.
The city is bracing for a particularly hot day, with temperatures set to reach 33 degrees Celsius.
Washington Police Chief Peter Newsham said he believes the gatherings in the city may be "one of the largest" he's seen in the district.
Videos continue to emerge from numerous cities of police officers beating protesters at rallies, highlighting the problem of heavy-handed tactics employed by local departments around the US.
However, there are also signs that prosecutors and mayors are taking these cases more seriously - even as police unions continue to resist change - while local elected officials are openly talking about enacting more overarching reforms to reduce violence.
Officers charged
Two officers in Buffalo, in western New York State, were charged with assault after they shoved a 75-year-old man to the ground, leading to his hospitalization. The event was captured on camera by a local journalist, and the video went viral, amid outrage.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the incident "disgusting and horrendous."
Numerous such incidents are being caught on camera around the country this week, some more brutal than others.
Floyd's funeral is set for Tuesday in Houston, Texas, which was where he spent much of his life. A memorial event took place on Thursday in Minneapolis, where he was killed, while his birthplace in North Carolina is hosting a memorial later Saturday.