Stars, leaders pay respects to Floyd

where civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton said Mr Floyd’s death was emblematic of the African-American experience.

“George Floyd’s story has been the story of black folks. Because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to be is you kept your knee on our neck,” Mr Sharpton said in a fiery eulogy.

“It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our necks!’”

Several blocks away, a bail hearing for three officers charged as accomplices in Mr Floyd’s murder heard one of them had been on the job for only a few days.

None of the men spoke during the hearing at Hennepin County District Court, which took place under heavy security, including National Guard troops.

Former officer Derek Chauvin faces a possible 40-year sentence for second-degree murder after being filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, three of them after he stopped breathing.

He was one of four officers responding to a complaint that Mr Floyd (left), a 46-year-old father of two, had paid for a pack of cigarettes with a fake $20 note.

The other three were charged on Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

The attorney for Thomas Lane, 37, of St Paul, said his client had been an officer for just four days and was not in a position to stop veteran cop Chauvin harming Mr Floyd.

“What was he supposed to do?” the attorney asked.

“Tell Chauvin to get off?”

The others charged were J Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34.

Bail was set at $1.1 million for each of the three men, who, along with Chauvin, have been sacked by the Minneapolis police force.

Video footage of Mr Floyd’s killing has sparked nationwide protests that have spilt into violence and looting in some of the worst civil unrest in the US for decades.

Protests continued last night across the US following Mr Floyd’s funeral, the first of three to be held over the next six days.

Among the celebrities to attend were comedian Kevin Hart, rappers Ludacris and T.I., singer Tyrese Gibson, actor Tiffany Haddish and film producer Will Packer.

Political figures included the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and former Democratic presidential candidate and potential vice presidential pick, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar.

After the memorial service, First Lady Melanie Trump sent her condolences to Mr Floyd’s family and friends.

“It is my hope our country will come together in peace & heal from these challenging times,” she said on Twitter.

Mr Floyd’s brother, Philonise, said: “Everywhere you go and see people, how they cling to him. They wanted to be around him.”

“All these people came to see my brother. That’s amazing to me that he touched so many people’s hearts because he touched our hearts,” he said.