Injustice in the time of COVID-19: St. Pete officials call for acts of solidarity at home

In a time when protest, public outcry and civil unrest have spread across the county and around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on. With that in mind, St. Petersburg officials are calling for all citizens to come together with a collective show of solidarity at home.

“In this unique time that calls for both physical distancing and our community’s collective demonstration of concern, the City of St. Petersburg encourages our residents to show solidarity and shine a light on injustice,” officials said in a release.

Officials are calling for residents to stand outside on their front porch, balcony, or yard, at 8 p.m. each night beginning the evening of Tuesday, June 2 through Tuesday, June 9, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on George Floyd’s neck in a viral video released after Floyd’s death. His death has sparked demonstrations across the country and solidarity demonstrations across the world.

Officials then ask that at 9 p.m., residents turn exterior lights on, and leave them on throughout the night “as a tribute to Mr. Floyd and as an illustration of our community coming together to shine a light on racism and racial injustice.”