German FM comments on Floyd protests in US

Germany's foreign minister on Tuesday said that peaceful protests in United States following death of George Floyd were "understandable and more than legitimate".

Heiko Maas said his thoughts were with friends and family of Floyd, who "lost his life in a truly terrible and shocking way, or one should say it was taken from him".

Speaking in Berlin, Maas said that peaceful protests must always be possible, but said he hoped that y did t "continue to lead to violence".

He went on to "express hope that se protests have an effect in United States".

Floyd died last week after he was pinned down by a white police officer in Minneapolis who put his knee on handcuffed black man’s neck until he stopped breathing.

His death set off protests that spread across United States, some turning violent.