
Black Lives Matter protesters have been sprayed with tear gas in Phoenix after a march against police brutality spiraled out of control.

Police also fired bean bag rounds and pepper spray at the protesters, who were seen running away and shielding their eyes.

One image showed a white man holding a Donald Trump 'Make America Great Again' placard interrupting the protest on Friday night.

Less than three hours after the demonstration began at 8pm, police declared the protest an 'unlawful assembly' and ordered people to leave after objects were thrown at officers, the Arizona Republic reported.

In Rochester, New York, the SWAT team arrived and police arrested 74 protesters who were blocking the streets. One organizer, Ashley Gantt, said they sat down because they did not want any movement to be misinterpreted as violence after the shootings in Dallas.

Other protests were calmer, with an estimated 5,000 people marching peacefully along a highway in Atlanta as they demanded justice for black men killed by police officers in recent days.

There was a heavy police presence at the Atlanta rally as protesters halted traffic, 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 Dallas cops.

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

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Black Lives Matter protesters have been sprayed with tear gas in Phoenix after a march against police brutality spiraled out of control. Pictured, a white man holding a Donald Trump 'Make America Great Again' placard interrupting the protest on Friday night

A protester gets help after being knocked to the ground after being pepper sprayed by police as marchers numbering nearly 1,000 take to the streets to protest against the recent fatal shootings of black men by police

Demonstrators try to ease the burning with several jugs of milk, which is commonly used as an antidote against capsicum, the same chemical found in hot chili peppers. Experts advise using water or saline instead, before washing the area with non-oil based soap

A protester raises him arms in front of a police blockade as marchers take to the streets to demonstrate against the recent fatal shootings of black men by police

Police in riot gear move in to break up a group of marchers as hundreds take to the streets to protest against the fatal shootings

Police declared the protest an 'unlawful assembly' by 11pm and ordered people to leave after objects were thrown at officers, the Arizona Republic reported (pictured, two protesters in downtown Phoenix last night)

Peaceful protests erupted around the country to protest the recent deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, but tensions were high in Phoenix

Three people were arrested, according to Phoenix police. Crowds had thinned out considerably by 11pm as police repeatedly asked people to return home

People began gathering outside Phoenix City Hall for the march scheduled at 8pm on Friday. By 10pm, police had begun using pepper spray to control the crowds

Civil rights leader Reverend Jarrett Maupin led the march and tried to shut down the freeway at one point before diverting the crowds. Police had blocked off the ramps to Interstate 10 as a precaution (pictured, one man kneeling with his arms up before police in riot gear)

Police shot bean bags into the crowd after rocks were reportedly thrown at them. While bean bags are meant to deliver a blow without penetrating the body like a bullet would, they can cause internal bleeding or break bones

Police departments around the country have taken extra precautions following the shooting at a protest in Dallas. Gunman Micah Xavier Johnson shot dead five police officers and injured seven more (pictured, demonstrators at the rally in Phoenix)

In Rochester, New York, the SWAT team arrived and police arrested 74 protesters who were blocking the streets (pictured, one demonstrator in Phoenix holding the flag upside down, a signal for dire distress)

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

Thousands more people took part in smaller protests across America, with demonstrations 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.

Police break up a group outside a store as nearly 1,000 protesters march in the streets to protest against the recent fatal shootings of two black men by police

Police send out tear gas to break up marchers numbering nearly 1,000 as they take to the streets to protest

Thousands of protesters have blocked a highway in Atlanta as they march through the city to demonstrate against police brutality

'Who do you call when the murderer wears a badge?' An estimated 5,000 people halted traffic as they demanded justice for black men killed at the hands of police officers

There was a heavy police presence during the peaceful protest (pictured), with officers on high alert following Thursday's massacre of cops in Dallas

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

Killer: Dallas gunman Micah Johnson (pictured) told officers he was upset about recent shootings and wanted to kill whites, 'especially white officers'

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.

'Hands up don't shoot': Demonstrators march through downtown Atlanta to protest the shootings of two black men by police officers

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

Sterling (left) was killed following a confrontation outside a Baton Rouge convenience store early Tuesday morning. Castile (right), 32, was shot dead by a cop during a traffic stop in Minnesota

Police chiefs in New York, Washington, D.C, Boston, Las Vegas, St. Louis, and Nassau County have ordered officers to partner up for assignments.

The NYPD's chief of department James O'Neill said until further notice, officers are banned from responding to calls alone.

'Effective immediately and until further notice, all uniform members of service are to be assigned in pairs,' an internal memo from O'Neill says, according to WPIX reporter Myles Miller.

Demonstrators march through downtown Atlanta

O'Neill added: 'There will be no solo assignments citywide.'

Washington's police chief Cathy Lanier ordered officers and supervisors in the capital to also pair up while on duty.

'Looking at the type of attack that happened in Dallas, a two-man car, a four-man car, a 10-man car, isn't going to make much of a difference,' Lanier said, according to the Washington Post.

'But it makes the officers feel much safer.'

Meanwhile, Cincinnati police spokeswoman Tiffaney Hardy says police will use two-officer patrols throughout the weekend, 'then we will re-evaluate.'

A police union official says some officers had expressed desire to be in two-officer cars for increased safety.

Boston Police Department tweeted: 'In light of the tragedy in Dallas and in the best interests of officer safety, all #BPD patrols will be conducted by two-officer units.'

The Las Vegas Police Department said officers will be operating in pairs because of reports of planned protests in cities across the country.

'Based on reports of protests in several major cities across the US, on-duty #LVMPD officers will be working in pairs until further notice,' the department tweeted.

In St Louis, Missouri, police chief Sam Dotson said all officers will also be required to wear bulletproof vests.

In a statement, Dotson said late on Thursday night: 'Due to events unfolding in Dallas, Texas, effective immediately, all on-duty officers will work in pairs until further notice.

'No police officers, park rangers or mashals will be sent or handle any assignments without a partner.

'In addition to this, all personnel leaving any of the stations for enforcement activities will be required to wear their ballistic vest.'

He added: 'Although locally we are not experiencing any civil unrest, this decision is precautionary and is to maximize the safety of officers and our community.'

The Nassau County Police Department officials said that all necessary steps were being taken to ensure the safety of police officers and the public.

In a statement on Friday, the department said: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this heinous act of violence and their families.

'The NCPD is taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the public and our police officers.

'We will intensify patrols in areas of public gatherings and near critical infrastructure.

'Social media outlets will be intensely monitored and we request the public's assistance in any way possible to stop threats to public safety.'

Five Dallas police officers were fatally shot and seven others wounded during a protest over the deaths of black men killed by police this week in Louisiana and Minnesota - the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Police officers are on alert across the country in the wake of deadly sniper attacks in Dallas on Thursday that left five cops dead. Above, Dallas police chief David Brown (left) and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings