Killing of black men in US sparks protests

New York: Protests continued in the US over the death of several black men at the hands of the police and in New York preparations were being made for a huge demonstration next Saturday, media reported.

Sunday was the fifth consecutive day of protests since last Wednesday, when a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer who in July put African American Eric Garner in a chokehold while trying to arrest him, which led to Garner's death.

Demonstrators staged several violent protests on the West Coast, especially in Berkeley, California, where vandals broke storefront windows, forcing police in antiriot gear to intervene.

The protesters in New York took to social networks to plan for a huge march in the city, dubbed the "Millions March NYC", Dec 13.

The aim of the demonstration next Saturday is to demand that the justice department file federal charges against the police officers involved in the deaths of Garner and also Michael Brown in Ferguson.

More than 30,000 people expressed their intention on Facebook to participate in the march.

Meanwhile, criticism poured in over the role of the police in different incidents at the funeral held Saturday in New York for Akai Gurley, a young African American who died last month after being shot -- allegedly accidentally -- by a police officer.

Garner's widow Esaw Garner has thanked those who took to the streets for their support and has asked them to keep up the demonstrations.