Statue of Confederate general toppled in Washington, Trump calls it a 'disgrace'

Protesters have toppled the only statue of a Confederate general in the US capital and set it on fire.

The incident comes on Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery in the United States, amid continuing anti-racism demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Demonstrators wrapped the 11-foot statue of Albert Pike with chains before the high granite pedestal fell backward, landing in a pile of dust. 

They then set a bonfire and stood around it in a circle as the statue burned, chanting, "No justice, no peace!" and "No racist police!" 

President Donald Trump quickly tweeted about the toppling, calling out DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

"The D.C. Police are not doing their job as they watch a statue be ripped down & burn. These people should be immediately arrested. A disgrace to our Country!" he wrote.

After the statue fell, most protesters returned peacefully to Lafayette Park near the White House.

There have been protests against racism and police brutality across the country and around the world since George Floyd, a Black man, died in Minneapolis police custody last month. 

Some of the focus has been calls for authorities take down monuments honoring figures from the pro-slavery Confederate side in the American Civil War.

The statue toppling in Washington took place at the end of a day when thousands of people marched through US cities in Juneteenth observances commemorating the abolition of slavery.