Nickelodeon Went off Air for Nearly 9 Minutes in Honor of George Floyd

Nickelodeon went off the air for 8 minutes and 46 seconds on Monday, June 1 at 6 pm EST in support of justice, equality, and human rights. The 8 minutes and 46 seconds symbolized the amount of time Derek Chauvin from the Minneapolis Police Department had his knee on George Floyd’s neck. Throughout this time of silence, Nickelodeon’s screen turned orange displayed “Declaration Of Kid’s Rights.”

The message read, “You have the right to be seen, heard, and respected as a citizen of the world. You have the right to a world that is peaceful. You have the right to be treated with equality, regardless of the color of your skin. You have the right to be protected from harm, injustice, and hatred. You have the right to an education that prepares you to run the world. You have the right to your opinions and feelings, even if others don’t agree with them.”

The response Nickelodeon received has been overwhelmingly positive, and many praised the network for spreading positivity and educating children on real issues. Although some parents accused the network of scaring children with these serious issues, Nickelodeon defended their actions. The network stated that some kids live in fear every day and it’s their job to use their platform to make sure their stories are told.

#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/BQM9q1nBkl

— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) May 31, 2020

This is not the first time Nickelodeon has been vocal about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. On Sunday the network posted a pinned tweet that reads: “Black Lives Matter. Black Culture Matters. Black Communities Matter.”