At George Floyd Memorial, an Anguished Call for Change

“When I looked this time and saw marches where in some cases young whites outnumbered the blacks marching, I know that it is a different time and a different season. When

I looked and saw people in Germany marching for George Floyd, it’s a different time and a different season,” he said, citing verses from Ecclesiastes, and then adding, “I come to tell you, America, this is the time of building accountability in the criminal justice system.”

Mourners had their temperatures taken as they entered the service, a stark reminder of the pandemic still taking place amid the outcry over Mr. Floyd’s death. Some people sat spaced apart, and were urged to practice social distancing measures.

Before the service, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith of Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz, Mayors Jacob Frey of Minneapolis and Melvin Carter of St. Paul and many others milled about, quietly greeting each other with nods and elbow bumps and sometimes hugs. Celebrities like Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, T.I. and Ludacris were also present.

At one point, Mr. Frey knelt with one hand on the coffin for minutes, his body heaving, and rose with tears on his face.