The Minnesota Republican party has faced backlash after deciding to hold a moment of silence for Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
The decision, made during a recent convention, was met with criticism from the state's attorney general, Keith Ellison, who was the lead prosecutor in the case against Chauvin.
Ellison described the gesture as 'an act of profound cruelty' to George Floyd's family, sparking outrage and divisions within the party.
The moment of silence was seen as a move to honour Chauvin, who was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in April 2021.
The decision has been widely condemned by civil rights organisations and community leaders, who view it as an attempt to perpetuate a false narrative that Chauvin's actions were justified.
In a statement, Ellison said: 'The fact that the Minnesota Republican Party would choose to honour a man who brutalised and killed George Floyd is a slap in the face to the family and the community.'