George Floyd Killed — Largest US Protest Movement Since 1960s; 15–26 Million March

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020, killing him. The murder, captured on video and witnessed globally, triggered an estimated 15–26 million Americans participating in Black Lives Matter protests — the largest protest movement in US history. Parts of Minneapolis burned; Confederate and colonial statues were toppled nationwide. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder in April 2021 and sentenced to 22.5 years.