Toledoans Encouraged to Pause at Noon

The city of Toledo supports the Farm Labor Organizing Committee locally and others nationally to recognize the life of George Floyd by encouraging all to be silent at 12 p.m. EST today for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Noon is the time Mr. Floyd’s funeral begins in Houston.

“We encourage our employees, and all residents, to pause at noon today and observe 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence,” Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. “The George Floyd murder has forced Americans to once again look at the challenging history of police-community relations in our country. The frustration that we see on the streets of America is rooted in government policies that inhibited the economic advancements of African Americans, Hispanics, and other people of color
by preventing them from living in certain communities, working at certain places, and enjoying the fulfillment of the American dream. In order to improve police-community relations, we must remove barriers and address the root causes of poverty to include housing, education, workforce development, health, and civic engagement.”