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MINNEAPOLIS — The former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd posted bail on Wednesday and was released from jail, leading Minnesota’s governor to activate the National Guard to help keep the peace in the event of protests.

According to court documents, Derek Chauvin posted a US$1 million bond and was released from the state’s facility in Oak Park Heights, where he had been detained. Hennepin County jail records show he was released shortly before 11:30am.

Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs, died May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for several minutes as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. Floyd’s death was captured in widely seen bystander video that set off protests around the world. Chauvin and three other officers were fired. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter; Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter.

As darkness fell Wednesday ,hundreds of people took to the streets in south Minneapolis where protests were centred in the days after George Floyd’s death. – CNN