MN To Hold Moment Of Silence To Honor George Floyd

ST. PAUL, MN — Gov. Tim Walz Monday issued a proclamation asking all Minnesotans to observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. on Tuesday for nine minutes and 29 seconds to honor George Floyd on the one-year anniversary of his death.

"On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota," read a statement from Walz's office. Chauvin — who knelt on Floyd for more than nine minutes — was convicted of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death in April.

Also read: Minneapolis Events Will Mark Anniversary Of George Floyd's Death

"George Floyd’s murder ignited a global movement and awakened many Minnesotans and people around the world to the systemic racism that our Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color have known for centuries," the proclamation states.

"On April 20, 2021, a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of George Floyd’s murder. This historic verdict was a step in the right direction, but our work to dismantle systematic racism and discrimination has not ended. True justice for George Floyd will come only through real, systemic change to prevent acts like this from happening again—when every member of every community, no matter their race, is safe, valued, and protected."

Chauvin will be sentenced on June 25. He faces up to 40 years in prison.

The death of George Floyd

Just after 8 p.m. on Memorial Day, 2020, police responded to the Cup Foods store on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South in Minneapolis on a report of a "forgery in progress."

Outside the store, police told Floyd he was under arrest. In a video seen around the world, Floyd is heard telling officers "I can't breathe" while being forced down onto the street. He also asks for water.

Bystanders yelled at Chauvin to get off of him. Officers Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane assisted Chauvin. A fourth officer — Tou Thao — ordered people, including an off-duty EMS worker, to back away from the scene.

Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck even after he went motionless. All four officers who were at the scene were fired the next day and were later criminally charged.

Thao, Kueng, and Lane still face charges of aiding and abetting unintentional second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Their trial was delayed until 2022 to make room for a federal civil rights trial involving all four officers, including Chauvin.

Also read: Here's How The Police Initially Described George Floyd's Death