THOUSANDS of people are protesting in London against racism and police brutality in the US.

The Black Lives Matter demonstrations were organised in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck last Monday in Minneapolis.

Protests have been held in Trafalgar Square, outside the US Embassy and at the gates of Downing Street.

Thousands of people are marching near the embassy in Battersea, south London.

Chants of "say his name: George Floyd" and "black lives matter" are coming from the crowds making their way along roads near the river.

Traffic has been stopped in several places and protesters are receiving applause and horns are being sounded on passing cars.

A large portion of the crowd have stopped under a railway bridge outside Battersea Park Station and are chanting "black lives matter".

Four men climbed on top of a bus stop and encouraged the crowd in their chants, before getting down on one knee in silence, leading the gathered crowd to do the same.

Earlier, hundreds of protesters crowded together in Trafalgar Square despite social distancing restrictions, holding signs reading "Justice for George" and "Rest in power".

Reverend Sally Hitchiner, associate vicar at St Martin-in-the-Fields church on Trafalgar Square, said she could see hundreds gathered for the protest from her workplace.

The 40-year-old told the PA news agency: "I'm very sympathetic to the issue but also surprised to see the strength of emotion that has gathered people together.

"It's showing there are people in the UK who care passionately about the situation in the US.

"Clearly they're not following lockdown and social distancing, but I think there's a huge amount of passion there and that's overriding their concerns.

"It's an issue that requires passion but at the same time there's a huge amount of risk in what they're doing."

She said police appeared to be moving the crowd on from the square by early afternoon.

Demonstrations have also been held outside Downing Street.

Tens of thousands of people have joined nightly protests across the US since the death, with at least 1600 people arrested in 22 cities as some demonstrations descended into violence.

A police officer has been sacked and charged with third-degree murder following Floyd's death.

READ MORE: Minneapolis protesters still out in force despite curfew and call for calm

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said video footage of Floyd's death was "very distressing", but he would not comment on President Donald Trump's response to the widespread protests sparked by the killing.

The president has been criticised after warning on Twitter that "looting leads to shooting".

He later attempted to clarify his words by further tweeting on Friday: "Looting leads to shooting, and that's why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night – or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don't want this to happen, and that's what the expression put out last night means."

Raab told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "I'm not going to start commenting on the commentary or indeed the press statements that other world leaders make, or indeed the US president.

"What we do know is that the lead suspect has now been charged with murder, there is a federal review and we want to see de-escalation of all of those tensions and American come together."