Activists, community members, journalists and others are gathering in Minneapolis Tuesday at the site of George Floyd's murder to mark the anniversary of his death - as well as the worldwide protest movement for racial justice that followed.A series of events was planned for throughout the day at George Floyd Square, where memorials were being erected, food was being served and an open mic prepared for the afternoon."A couple hundred people in George Floyd Square, where Floyd was murdered, as the 'Rise and Remember' memorial event is about to start," MPR News reporter Jon Collins tweeted. "Lots of media from all over the place too. This is the closest thing to a block party I've seen in a year."The day's events were briefly derailed late morning by a shooting near the square that left at least one person with non-life threatening injuries. Police are still investigating, and it was not clear whether the incident had any relation to the anniversary.The burst of violence did not stop mourners and others from gathering in the square and nearby to mark one year since Floyd was murdered, an incident caught on a camera phone that would go viral and spark a global response.A candlelight vigil at George Floyd Square was scheduled for Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. ET).The George Floyd Memorial Foundation was also holding a celebration of life in Minneapolis Tuesday. "The day will mark the city's resilience, unity and will reinvigorate the community to continue to advance the fight for justice for all," organizers said.Members of Floyd's family met privately with President Biden in the White House Tuesday afternoon. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden wanted the meeting to be private "to have a real conversation and preserve that with the family. He has a genuine relationship with them."Earlier in the day, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a proclamation asking residents to observe a moment of silence at 1:00 p.m. for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, the amount of time former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck before he died."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," Walz said in the proclamation.Chauvin, who was found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges in April, is scheduled to be sentenced next month. Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Events Planned Across Minneapolis To Mark The Anniversary Of George Floyd's Murder
