Thousands of protesters block highway in Atlanta in march against police brutality, with cops across the nation on high alert in wake of Dallas shooting

Thousands of protesters have blocked a highway in Atlanta as they march through the city to demonstrate against police brutality.
An estimated 5,000 people halted traffic as they demanded justice for black men killed at the hands of police officers in recent days.

There was a heavy police presence during the peaceful protest, with officers on high alert following Thursday’s massacre in Dallas

Gunman Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, shot 12 officers and two civilians on a rampage that killed five cops last night.

Friday evening’s protest came as police forces across the country braced for any fall-out from the horrific shooting in Texas.

Thousands more people took part in smaller protests across America, with demonstartions in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington, DC.

Also, in Los Angeles, rappers Snoop Dogg and The Game led a peaceful march to the LAPD’s headquarters, where they met with the mayor and police chief and urged improved relations between authorities and minority communities. Protests were also planned in Oakland and San Francisco on Friday night.

In Atlanta, demonstrators flooded the streets and brought traffic to a standstill Friday after gathering at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights near Centennial Olympic Park.

Protesters chanted: ‘Hands up, don’t shoot.’

People protesting police brutality in Dallas on Thursday evening were belting out the same chant when Johnson first opened fire.

Tonight’s protests have been peaceful and no arrests have been made.

The marches are in response to the recent shootings of black men Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were shot by white police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota respectively.