Minneapolis Intersection Officially Renamed After George Floyd

MINNEAPOLIS, MN —A series of events took place on Wednesday marking the two-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

At the corner of E 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, where the 46-year-old Floyd was handcuffed and pinned to the ground for over nine minutes by officer Derek Chauvin, a ceremony was held to officially rename the intersection "George Perry Floyd Square."

Floyd's brother Terrence and several family members were joined by hundreds of other attendees at the event, which involved the unveiling of a commemorative street sign.

According to the Associated Press, people sang songs as they marched a block-long stretch to finish at the intersection. A candlelight vigil was nearby after the renaming ceremony.

The intersection had been known informally as George Floyd Square since shortly after Floyd's death. The area includes murals, wreaths and art installations honoring Floyd and other Black men, women and children from across the nation who have died at the hands of police, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Earlier Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released a statement marking the two years since Floyd's murder.

"Each day since, we have remembered George Floyd's life and legacy as a friend, father, brother, and loved one. His name has been heard in every corner of our world," Frey said. "We know the greatest impact of the past two years will continue to be felt most in the hearts of those closest to George Floyd. He should still be here with them today. In Minneapolis, we will continue to say his name and honor his spirit."

Also on Wednesday, in conjunction with the two-year anniversary of Floyd's death, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that the White House said is designed to advance effective, accountable policing and criminal justice practices that will build public trust and strengthen public safety.

The order applies to 100,000 federal law enforcement officers, though Biden said he also expects the order to have a significant impact on state and local law enforcement agencies.

Among its many provisions, the order calls for a new national database of police misconduct, mandates the adoption of body-worn camera policies and bans the use of chokeholds and carotid restraints unless deadly force is authorized, in addition to broader reforms of the criminal justice system.

"This executive order is going to deliver the most significant police reform in decades," Biden said during a signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House, according to CBS News.

Biden added: "This is a call to action based on a basic truth: public trust, as any cop will tell you, is the foundation of public safety. Without trust, the population doesn't contribute, doesn't cooperate. As we've seen all too often, public trust has frayed and broken, and that undermines public safety."

Last June, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison after being convicted of state charges of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death. In Dec. 2021, Chauvin also pleaded guilty to violating Floyd's civil rights in a federal case, and the former officer now faces a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years.

Three other former officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane were convicted in February of federal charges of willfully violating Floyd's civil rights.

Kueng and Thao are scheduled to stand trial on state charges in June. Lane pleaded guilty earlier this month to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter for his role in Floyd's killing.