If you've been wondering what impact the nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd might have, the evidence continues to roll in. The latest significant development is that Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) will reportedly upgrade the charges against Derek Chauvin to second-degree murder. The three other officers who stood by silently while Chauvin killed George Floyd will now face criminal charges as well.
Previously, Chauvin faced third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges while the other officers had not faced any charges.
A formal announcement is expected to come from Ellison on Wednesday afternoon. The news was first shared by Sen. Amy Klobuchar via Twitter:
Floyd died after Chauvin kept his knee pressed against Floyd's neck for more than four minutes. Audio of the incident showed Floyd pleading with Chauvin to release him, saying "I can't breath" and telling Chauvin that he was killing him. As Chauvin continued to press on Floyd's neck, the other three officers on the scene stood by silently from a distance.
Video of the killing documented by bystanders went viral, leading directly to occasionally violent, but largely peaceful protests in Minneapolis that quickly spread across the nation.
Since then, the killing of Floyd has been the catalyst for a series of ongoing, nationwide protests in a majority of American cities. Police departments, politicians and other organizations have faced increasing calls for system reforms aimed at reducing violence against minorities and citizens in general.
Meanwhile, the protests have faced a stiff backlash from President Trump and his administration, which has further fueled the anger of protesters and activists who support their cause.
Reaction to the news was swift and positive across social media:
While there is still much to be done in terms of measurable progress, change like this is almost always rooted in the necessity for justice. Elevating the charges against Chauvin and the other complicit officers shows that those in positions of power are hearing and responding to those calls for justice. Real police reforms will have to follow to even begin addressing the issues of systemic racism and excessive government force against its own citizens. Still, it is a powerful symbolic step in the right direction that will have real consequences for those who commit crimes from positions of power against the powerless.
Ketel Marte was brought to tears during an MLB game after facing a shameful fan taunt.
Baseball manager's poignant support for a player brought to tears after shameful fan taunt
Whether they’re expecting perfection from their favorite players or, worse, behaving callously toward opposing teams, sports fans often forget that athletes are human beings. But athletic competition has the ability to unify and uplift, even amid such painful and unpleasant encounters. Take, for example, a major-league baseball game held June 24, 2025 between the home team Chicago White Sox and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
A shameful low point occurred when Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was at bat in the seventh inning. Per ESPN, a fan reportedly yelled out a comment regarding Marte’s late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car accident in the Dominican Republic. Team personnel, including manager Torey Lovullo, then requested the 22-year-old fan be ejected. (Though he was remorseful and admitted his actions were inappropriate, according to an ESPN source, he was nonetheless banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks.) "We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan," the MLB said in a statement. Marte reportedly declined to comment.
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While the fan’s behavior is inexcusable, it did spark a powerful and inspiring moment. After hearing the comment, Marte was visibly upset, prompting Lovullo to walk on the field, put his arm around him, and offer some words of encouragement. "[I said,] 'I love you, and I’m with you, and we’re all together, and you’re not alone,'" Lovullo said in a post-game interview, as documented by The Rich Eisen Show. "'No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you’re heard, that guy is an idiot.’"
According to Arizona Republic, Lovullo heard the fan’s comment but didn’t want to repeat it. “I looked right at [Marte] when I heard,” he said. “I looked right at him, and he looked at the person, as well. He put his head down and I could tell it had an immediate impact on him, for sure."
Elsewhere in the post-game interview, the manager called the moment "terrible" and reflected on why he stood up for Marte. "Fans are nasty, and fans go too far sometimes," he said. "I love my players, and I’m gonna protect them…I’ve known Ketel for nine years. He’s had some unbelievably great moments and some hardships as well and some really tough moments in his life. I know those. At the end of the day, we’re human beings, and we have emotions. I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him."
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The following day, the Chicago White Sox X account sent out a message in support of Marte, writing, "We’re with you" and "Baseball is family." On The Rich Eisen Show, the show's host addressed the need to eradicate this kind of toxic athlete-fan interaction: "I was hearing [people saying], 'There’s no place for this in major league baseball.' There isn’t. There’s no place for this in our society. I understand that people are saying the MLB has got to do something about this. Fans have a right to heckle players—this is something that has happened forever…But there is a line."
In another recent, depressing sports moment with a beautiful coda, let’s look to Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the first quarter, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon—a devastating injury that could potentially sideline him for most of the 2025-2026 season. Following the game, in a lovely display of sportsmanship, Thunder point-guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the Pacers locker room to check on his competitor. In a press conference, he said, "You just hate to see it, in sports in general. But in this moment, my heart dropped for him. I can't imagine playing the biggest game of my life and something like that happening. It’s so unfortunate."
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