Minneapolis, MN – On December 10, 25 protesters rallied outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office to mark International Human Rights Day. After chanting outside the senator’s office, Brad Sigal from the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee addressed the crowd to draw attention to Trump’s record of human rights abuses against immigrants. The protesters then marched in -10 degrees windchill to the legendary May Day Books in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.

Tracy Molm of the Anti-War Committee spoke at the closing rally inside the bookstore. “On Human Rights Day we come together to call attention to human rights abuses at home and abroad. At the same time the U.S. government talks about human rights abuses and lack of democracy in places like Iran, Venezuela and Cuba, the U.S. government runs concentration camps on the U.S.-Mexico border where horrific conditions and abuse are rampant, and President Trump spouts hate speech against Muslims and immigrants,” she said. “In addition to this hypocrisy, the U.S. government uses sanctions and blockades to create starvation and inflation in other countries; then it blames the elected government, like President Maduro’s in Venezuela, for this starvation. Meanwhile, sanctions are touted as the ‘humanitarian option’ – ignoring that sanctions overwhelming affect children and elderly – ignoring that sanctions kill!”

Other speakers included Sylvia Schwartz from Jewish Voice for Peace Action, who demanded human rights for Palestinians, and Gina VanArnam from Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, who denounced police crimes against people of color.

The rally was organized as an annual event by the MN Anti-War Committee. They announced the MN Peace Action Coalition’s upcoming protest on December 21 at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues in Minneapolis as the next anti-war action.

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