MINNEAPOLIS — Cities tied to George Floyd’s legacy are holding memorials and events Sunday to mark the fifth anniversary of his death, a moment that reignited the global movement for racial justice and police accountability. The commemorations come as activists warn of a political and institutional rollback on the reforms they’ve spent years fighting to achieve.
In Minneapolis, the epicenter of the tragedy, thousands gathered for a weekend of events at George Floyd Square—the now-iconic intersection where former police officer Derek Chauvin fatally knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 ½ minutes on May 25, 2020, while Floyd pleaded, “I can’t breathe.”
Beginning Friday, the remembrance included concerts, a street festival, and a self-care fair. Sunday’s observances feature a worship service, gospel concert, and candlelight vigil, bringing the community together at the site that became a global symbol of resistance to police violence.
In Houston, where Floyd was raised, his family planned a graveside memorial service on Sunday led by civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton. A separate gathering in a nearby park will feature hours of music, preaching, poetry, and a balloon release, as residents honor Floyd’s life and legacy.
The anniversary is being observed at a time of growing concern among activists that the momentum for meaningful police reform—galvanized by the worldwide protests after Floyd’s death—is eroding.
While Minneapolis city officials continue to tout ongoing reforms within the police department, community activists argue that those changes remain largely superficial.
“We understand that change takes time,” said Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, in a statement. “However, the progress being claimed by the city is not being felt in the streets.”
Floyd’s death, along with the police killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, prompted the Justice Department under President Joe Biden to initiate settlements and federal oversight agreements with the police departments in both cities. But in a sharp reversal, President Donald Trump’s administration announced Wednesday it would terminate those agreements, citing what it called federal overreach.
Trump has also moved to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies, using federal funding as leverage to pressure local governments, public schools, and universities to follow suit. Republican-led states have mirrored the effort, accelerating legislation aimed at dismantling DEI programs.
What was once a wave of protest and policy promises has given way to renewed division. While Sunday’s events center on healing and remembrance, they also serve as a reminder of unfinished work, as police accountability and racial justice recede from the national spotlight amid a growing conservative backlash.
For many, the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death is not only about reflection—but about the urgency of recommitment to the movement his killing inspired.
