A police officer in the US has been filmed violently grabbing a black man by the throat outside a Waffle House.

Authorities are investigating the incident in North Carolina after footage posted online was viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

The video shows the white officer slamming 22-year-old Anthony Wall against a window, then turning him around and gripping him by the neck.

The officer then pins him to the pavement with his hand on Mr Wall's head as other people stand around them, recording the scene.

The incident reportedly happened after Mr Wall had taken his 16-year-old sister to her prom and then got into an argument with Waffle House staff members.


Mr Wall told ABC 11: "I was pretty much trying to scream for air and trying to breathe because he was holding my throat and that's when I got aggressive with him because you are choking me."

Image: Footage of the incident has been viewed thousands of times. Pic: Anthony Wall/Facebook

Mr Wall, who posted footage of the incident on Facebook on Tuesday, was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct for the argument inside the Waffle House, ABC 11 reported.

He said he took full responsibility for his actions with the restaurant's employees but claimed the policeman's actions were not justified.

"Your hands should have never been around my neck like that if my hands were in the air," Mr Wall added.

A Warsaw Police Department spokesman refused to comment on the incident when approached by Sky News.

But Warsaw Police Chief Eric Southerland told ABC 11: "We are currently investigating the whole incident, interviewing witnesses and gathering additional video.

"We have also reached out to the district attorney's office to make him aware of the investigation.

"Once the investigation is complete and the district attorney has had a chance to review the case we will provide the public with an update on the findings."

The officer involved has not been named by officials.