Jacob Frey criticized for remembering George Floyd on Memorial Day, six years after death sparked riots

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey received pushback Monday over a social media post remembering George Floyd, whose Memorial Day death six years ago triggered nationwide protests and riots, as well as calls to defund law enforcement agencies.

“Today, we remember George Floyd, who was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer six years ago,” Frey wrote on X. “That moment changed our city forever.”

In subsequent posts, Frey wrote that the death of Floyd forced the city to “confront painful truths about race, policing, inequity, and trust — and demanded hard conversations and accountability. Since Floyd’s murder, our city has been challenged not just to say we’ve changed, but to prove it.”

“We are committed to honoring this place both as a memorial with global significance and as a neighborhood where people live, work, gather, and heal,” Frey added.

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Floyd died from cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression after being pinned to the ground by officers outside a convenience store where he allegedly tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

Four police officers, including Derek Chauvin, were sentenced to prison over Floyd’s death. Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground with his knee on his neck for around nine minutes.

Frey’s post immediately received criticism given that Monday was also Memorial Day.

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“Newsflash: Today is Memorial Day, not George Floyd Day. Show our fallen heroes and their families some freaking respect,” wrote State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla. “You’re a complete disgrace to America, @MayorFrey.”

Others noted that Floyd’s death triggered destructive riots across the country where stores and buildings were looted and burned.

“It changed your city, state and my country for the worse. Rioters on your side killed people and did billions in economic damage. And for what? Defunding police policies that have led to more people being killed,” reporter Andy Ngo replied to Frey.

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While the official autopsy ruled the death a homicide caused by police restraint, the medical examiner’s report also noted that the amount of fentanyl in Floyd’s system and his recent use of methamphetamine were contributing factors.

“At first I thought this had to be a parody,” Tomi Lahren wrote on X. “I thought no way this fruity ass mayor was possibly honoring George Floyd on Memorial Day… But here it is.”

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“Today we remember the veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. Not drug addicts who overdosed,” Townhall.com columnist Dustin Grage wrote.

In a separate post, Frey honored veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, saying: “We owe them — and the families who carry their memory forward — our deepest gratitude.”