8 minutes 46 seconds (8:46) is a symbol of police brutality. It comes from the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.^[1] Derek Chauvin, a police officer, put his knee on Floyd's neck. This stop Floyd from being able to breathe. The time that Chauvin spent kneeling was reported for weeks as 8 minutes 46 seconds.^[2] It was later reported as 7 minutes 46 seconds.^[3] Body camera footage released in August 2020 showed that the actual time was 9 minutes 29 seconds.^[4][5][6] In the days after his murder, the duration became a focus of commemorations and debates, especially around Blackout Tuesday.^[7]

The duration has been specifically referenced in "die-in" protests in Minneapolis, New York, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Chicago, Denver, and other cities, where protesters lay down for eight minutes and 46 seconds to protest police brutality and the racialized killings by law enforcement officers in the United States.^[8] It has also been used in numerous commemorations, vigils and gatherings to recognize Floyd and protest his murder, including at his memorial.^[9]

In the days after his death, and the protests that followed, that specific time span has become the focus of debates, especially around Blackout Tuesday.^[10]

The time has been specifically referenced in "die-in" protests in Minneapolis, New York, Chicago Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, Denver and other cities, where protesters lay down for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to protest police brutality.^{[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}

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