Walz Calls For 9 Minutes And 29 Seconds Of Silence On Anniversary Of George Floyd's Death
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Tuesday will mark one year since George Floyd's death, and Gov. Tim Walz is calling on Minnesotans to mark the occasion.
Walz issued a proclamation Monday asking the state's residents for nine minutes and 29 seconds of silence starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday to honor Floyd.
Last year on May 25, Floyd, a Black man, was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest outside Cup Foods at 38th and Chicago. Floyd repeatedly said, "I can't breathe" as Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on Floyd for nine minutes and 29 seconds. In April, a jury in Hennepin County found Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter. He is slated to be sentenced next month.
"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," Walz said in his proclamation.
On Sunday, members of George Floyd's family, others whose loved ones were killed by police, activists and citizens gathered in downtown Minneapolis for a rally to honor Floyd.
Other events are planned throughout the week to mark the occasion, including a candlelight vigil on Tuesday at the intersection where Floyd was killed.
In the immediate aftermath of Floyd's killing, there were days of protest and nights of unrest in the Twin Cities. His death also sparked a nationwide reckoning with racism and police brutality. State and city leaders in Minnesota and across the country have committed to police reform and envisioning new systems of public safety.