Minnesota GOP’s Moment of Silence for Derek Chauvin Provokes Political Backlash

On June 1, 2026, the Minnesota Republican Party held a moment of silence for police officer Derek Chauvin at its annual convention in Duluth. Delegates stood for about ten seconds before business began. Chauvin, convicted of second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death, is serving a 22½-year term.

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Chauvin was sentenced to 22½ years for murder in 2021 and a concurrent 21-year civil-rights term in 2022. The verdict sparked protests and heightened scrutiny of police practices. The killing also ignited nationwide protests and energized the Black Lives Matter movement. Right-wing commentators such as Ben Shapiro have since cast Chauvin as a political cause-celebrity. The June 2026 moment of silence is the first documented instance of a state party formally honoring Chauvin at a convention.

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Attorney General Keith Ellison condemned the tribute as dishonoring Floyd’s memory, harming his family, and sending a troubling political message, and apologized to the Floyd family and to law-enforcement officers who serve honorably. State Representative Jamie Long called the gesture “disgusting,” noting it honored a convicted murderer instead of victims of gun violence or fallen soldiers. The Minnesota Republican Party declined comment.

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Democratic officials and civil-rights advocates criticized the moment of silence as a distortion of accountability and an affront to victims of police violence, highlighting the contrast between honoring a convicted murderer and broader calls for justice and reform.

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Chauvin’s 22½-year murder sentence (2021) runs concurrently with a 21-year civil-rights term (2022). All appeals, including a U.S. Supreme Court petition in 2023, have been denied. He was transferred to a low-security Texas facility in August 2024 after surviving a prison stabbing.

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Calls for a presidential pardon, amplified by Elon Musk, have surfaced. Analysts note a pardon would likely result in a transfer rather than release, leaving Chauvin’s incarceration status unchanged.

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• “This decision dishonors the memory of George Floyd and wounds his loved ones all over again,” — Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General

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• “To honor a man who disgraced his oath to uphold the law and his badge is disturbing. And to honor a man who damaged the reputation of the brave men and women who protect our communities night and day is disrespectful.” — Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General

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• “disgusting” — Jamie Long, Democratic state lawmaker

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