Footage shows a policeman appearing to spray mace at protesters in Washington DC on Wednesday night (October 29).

Unrest erupted following the death of Karon Hylton last Friday and the fatal shooting of Walter Wallace in Philadelphia on Monday night. Riots connected to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement also spread to New York.

In the video, onlookers claim that the grieving mother of Hylton is also present at the protest. Several people can be seen coming to the aid of a woman who seemed to have been sprayed in the face with the irritant liquid carried by police, also known as mace or pepper spray.

Hylton, 20, was riding an electric moped when officers tried to stop him because he was allegedly not wearing a helmet. They claim he then drove out of an alley and collided with another vehicle.

According to local media, police body camera footage appeared to show the officers were pursuing Hylton.