Police chief in California takes knee with protesters to honor George Floyd

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Hundreds of people kneeled in Santa Cruz, California, on Saturday morning to honor the memory of George Floyd amid nationwide protests to bring attention to police violence against the black community.

Photographer Shmuel Thaler captured an image of Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills taking a knee along with the protesters.

"SCPD is fully supportive of peaceful protests @CityofSantaCruz and we always keep them safe," the department tweeted.

Nationwide unrest was fueled by Floyd's death in Minneapolis. Video shows him handcuffed, pleading for air as a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck. That office was fired and has been charged with third-degree murder.