Minnesota GOP Just Paid Tribute to Derek Chauvin, Days After the Sixth Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death

The family of George Floyd is condemning Minnesota Republicans after party delegates held a moment of silence for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Now, they’re calling the move deeply painful and inappropriate as the state continues to grapple with Floyd’s death and its aftermath.

The moment of silence occurred during the Minnesota Republican Party’s state convention in Duluth, where delegates briefly paused in recognition of Chauvin before beginning official business.

According to The Guardian, party officials have said the gesture originated from a delegate’s request and lasted 10 seconds. But quickly, the tribute drew sharp backlash from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates.

In a statement highlighted by family members and advocacy outlets, Floyd’s relatives said the tribute to Chauvin—who was convicted in 2021 of murdering Floyd by kneeling on his neck for over nine minutes—reopened emotional wounds and disrespected the memory of Floyd, whose death in 2020 sparked global protests against police brutality.

Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution of Chauvin, wrote in a statement, “This decision dishonors the memory of George Floyd and wounds his loved ones all over again.” Other Democratic officials echoed that criticism, saying the moment underscored how deeply the political debate over Floyd’s murder continues to divide Minnesota more than six years later.

The moment of silence comes only days after the six-year anniversary of Floyd’s killing, with this year marking the first Memorial Day that falls on the exact date of the incident.

“George Floyd’s children lost their father,” Ellison continued. “His siblings lost their brother. His community lost a neighbor and friend. That loss is permanent and irreparable. The jury heard all the evidence. The appeals courts reviewed every claim. Justice was rendered according to our system of law.”

Floyd’s family previously reached a million-dollar civil settlement with the city, we previously reported. Still, Floyd’s death continues to have grave impacts. We previously told you his family responded after white comedian Tony Hinchcliffe cracked a joke about Floyd’s death during Kevin Hart’s celebrity roast.

A spokesperson for the family called that moment “sad for the culture,” according to TMZ. Now, critics view the GOP’s moment of silence as sad for the state of politics.

As Minnesota enters another election cycle, the brief tribute has become a political flashpoint—one that Democrats are seizing on as evidence of extremism within the state GOP—while Republicans insist it reflects free expression among delegates, not party leadership.

What remains undisputed is that Floyd’s death continues to shape Minnesota politics, years after a bystander’s video turned a Minneapolis street corner into a global symbol of racial reckoning.