Milwaukee man pepper sprayed by police while protesting in Minneapolis

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee man who went to join protesters in Minneapolis says he was pepper sprayed by police officers there.

"I had a war experience," said Jermaine Reed, who attended the protest. "The enemy came in the form of a police officer and pepper sprayed me."

Jermaine Reed says he went to protest because he has family in Minneapolis and George Floyd's death hit close to home.

He says at around 3 a.m. he was protesting near a police precinct when officers pepper sprayed the crowd without warning.

Rather than leave, he says it made him decide to stay and keep fighting.

"My eyes burned, it was very painful, being in the space where I am around strangers," Reed said. "I would have to say it was a white person who helped me and guided me to get to a safe place. When you're pepper sprayed you can't see anything. It was a difference experience, but you know, for justice it's worth it."

Reed says he plans to stay for more protests that are planned through the weekend.