George Floyd Killed: Global Racial Justice Movement Erupts
Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020, while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the pavement. Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, repeatedly said "I can't breathe" before losing consciousness. Bystander Darnella Frazier, 17, recorded the encounter on her phone. The video went viral within hours. Protests erupted in Minneapolis that night and spread to over 2,000 cities across all 50 states and at least 60 countries, making it the largest protest movement in American history. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 22.5 years. Minneapolis voted to create a Department of Public Safety. The moment catalyzed a global reckoning with police violence and systemic racism.
May 25, 2020
6 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 25
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