Michael Moore Issues Call To 'Disarm Police'

Michael Moore, the US documentary maker and activist, has taken to Twitter to issue a call to "disarm the police" and free black inmates jailed "for drug 'crimes' or nonviolent offences".

The comments by Moore - director of Oscar-winning Bowling For Columbine on gun violence and Fahrenheit 9/11 on the 2001 terror attacks - came amid a heated debate in America over race and the use of police force.

The death of Freddie Gray - who suffered spinal injury after his arrest and died on 19 April - has sparked riots in Baltimore and protests across America.

In the first of a series of tweets on Thursday, Moore said: "Imprison u, shoot u, sever your spine, crush your larynx, send u to war, keep u poor, call u a thug, not let u vote. But u can sing for us."

He went on to put forth his demand: "I want every African-American currently incarcerated for drug 'crimes' or nonviolent offenses released from prison today."

He added: "Next demand: Disarm the police. We have a 1/4 billion 2nd amendment guns in our homes 4 protection. We'll survive til the right cops r hired."

"Local cops now militarized. Founding Fathers said NO army policing on our soil. Why do cops have tanks? Oh, right - the Enemy: The Black Man."

Moore's comments, which drew some angry reaction on Twitter, brought him back to the spotlight after he criticised American Sniper, the Clint Eastwood movie on Chris Kyle, considered the most lethal marksman in US military history.