Reporter hit with police tear gas canister live on air while reporting from George Floyd protest in Seattle

Over the last few days, social media has been awash with disturbing footage and imagery of the escalating tensions between police and protesters across America.

Protests continue to form across the US and the world after footage of a white police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck emerged last week.

It has often appeared to be the case, from social media videos at least, that police are playing an active role in escalating violence with protesters.

Now footage has emerged of scenes which look like a "warzone" in Seattle.

Police were filmed firing flash bangs and tear gas to break up a crowds of demonstrators on a baseball field in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of the city.

Shockingly, a journalist and her crew were among those hit with flying canisters as police advanced.

The frightening video footage shows Jo Ling Kent reporting live on the air of the cable news channel late on Monday night, when police moved towards an area packed with demonstrators.

As Kent begins her report, several flash bangs are heard exploding in the background. Kent, who is wearing a gas mask, describes the chaotic scene unfolding on the baseball field.

Guys, I don’t know if you can hear me.

We have now police advancing on protesters.

As Kent finishes the sentence, a flash bang explodes inches from her and appears to hit her arm.

Thankfully, it doesn’t look like Kent or any of her team were harmed.

But there were lots of other people seen fleeing the scene as the chaos escalated rapidly.

The footage emerges as Seattle’s police watchdog, the Office of Professional Accountability, said it was investigating 10 alleged incidents of aggressive behaviour by police. These include reports of police pepper spraying a young girl and punching a person on the ground who was being arrested.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced the Northwest’s largest city would again have a curfew following days of protest.