Protesters destroy police property, smash and burn cars as riots continue across US
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Protests across the country have led to the destruction of police property, with many targeting police vehicles.
Protests started in Minneapolis on Wednesday following the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody. One officer was seen in a video posted to social media kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd repeated that he couldn’t breathe.
Within days, protests spread across the country, and protesters and police clashed in Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia and Chicago, among other cities.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Police vehicle burns after protesters rallied at Barclays Center over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died Memorial Day while in Minneapolis police custody, Friday, May 29, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Each day brings new images of damaged police property, more often than not a cruiser that has been smashed up and covered with graffiti or outright burned.
An image of a blazing cop car in Brooklyn, N.Y., spread across the news Saturday night, and protesters set two cars on fire over the course of an hour as night fell on the city.
Firefighters struggled to break through the protest crowds to extinguish the fire before it could deal more damage.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In Chicago, about 3,000 demonstrators took to the streets Saturday, some climbing on cars and buses.
Police and protesters clashed in front of Trump Tower after police with helmets and batons pushed demonstrators out of the way so a police car could get through.
Bottles and fireworks were reportedly thrown at police officers in front of Trump Tower.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Video posted to Twitter showed what appeared to be Chicago police officers being swarmed, hit and dragged by protesters.
While protests started peacefully on Saturday, it was not long before Los Angeles protesters set several cars on fire -- as many as five by the middle of the afternoon.
People hold signs and shout behind a burning police vehicle in Los Angeles, Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Philadelphia tipped over into violence after protesters were able to get ahold of a vehicle and burn it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Images across social media showed cop vehicles in various cities, either destroyed or burning.
Police precincts were vandalized, as well, with the 3rd Precinct in Minneapolis and the 88th in Brooklyn set on fire. Officers were forced to retreat and abandon their departments.
A vehicle burns as a protester runs down Chicago Avenue, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
An Atlanta Police Department vehicle burns during a demonstration against police violence, Friday, May 29, 2020 in Atlanta. The protest started peacefully earlier in the day before demonstrators clashed with police. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.