Mayor de Blasio to take a knee on anniversary of George Floyd’s death

The event, led by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network (NAN), will feature people kneeling for nine minutes and 29 seconds, the amount of time that ex-officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck while he was under arrest.

The event has the aim of raising awareness and placing pressure on the Senate to pass what has been called the "George Floyd Justice and Policing Act."

The bill would prohibit police nationwide from using chokeholds to subdue people in police custody. It would also eliminate "qualified immunity" for law enforcement officers, opening up the door to potential deluge of civil lawsuits in response to police actions across the country.

Chauvin, the former Minneapolis cop, was convicted last month of multiple murder and manslaughter charges in connection to Floyd's death. He is now waiting to be sentenced on June 16, 2021.

Many prominent events are planned nationwide for Tuesday, including at the White House, where President Joe Biden plans to host Floyd's family.