Policeman

The man was a student at Santo's Matevulu College when he was slapped by an officer so hard his ear drums perforated.

The student was among several students detained after they were accused of damaging school property.

The student sought the damages for the loss of hearing and employment prospects, saying he couldn't carry on his schooling after the assault.

In the footage, the man, believed to be in his 40s, is heard groaning and repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" to the white officer.

The Minneapolis Police Department said it was responding to a reported crime.

The incident echoed that of Eric Garner, a black man who died being arrested in 2014.

Garner was placed in a chokehold and uttering the words "I can't breathe" nearly a dozen times.

The phrase became a rallying cry for activists protesting alleged police brutality against people of colour in the US.