Minneapolis, MN – On January 7, a gathering of more than 700 demonstrators convened at the Minneapolis Federal Building, poised to march to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar's office and call for an end to Klobuchar’s complicity in the genocide of Palestinians. Senator Klobuchar has consistently advocated for U.S. aid to Israel, going so far as to label it a “beacon of democracy” in 2019.

At the front of the protest, ahead of the chanting and the sound, protesters carried simulated body bags. Each body bag served as a representation of 1000 Palestinian lives that have been stolen by Israel since October 7.

Sana Wazwaz, member of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) explained the purpose of the body bags, “we have created 28 body bags that we are going to place on the parking lot of Senator Klobuchar’s office so she can get a visual representation of just what her stupid disgusting policies have amounted to.” Wazwaz continued, “It's not fun to have to sit down for two hours and wrap mock body bags. It's not fun to have to stuff sheets with garbage and newspapers to try to make them look harrowing enough for a complicit, apathetic politician to take them seriously. And yet I know if I were to make my own body bag, I would fill it with the copies of all the emails she's never responded to. I would fill it with all the bills, all the aid packages that she has signed on.”

The protest continued through downtown Minneapolis, passing two Pro-Palestine billboards coordinated by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee. The billboards supported the message of the protest, reading, “Divest MN from Israel” and “End U.S. aid to Israel.”

“It is no surprise to us that the senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, that have continually worked to violently remove, restrict, and harm immigrants and their families are also working to arm genocide halfway across the world. The U.S. is but one thing, an export of heinous crimes against humanity, and Amy and Tina uphold these crimes.” asserted Iemawn Chugthai, a member of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). They went on to discuss the connections between the attacks on immigrant rights in the United States and increased calls for military spending. “In this legislative session, our senators want to pass a bill that sends billions of dollars of aid to Israel and Ukraine, and also funds the separation of immigrant families, ending asylum protections that will lead to increased detention, and the elimination of pathways for those needing to immigrate using humanitarian parole. Amy and Tina are active participants the genocide in Palestine, and the deathly grip of inhumane immigration policies here in the United States.”

Solidarity echoed through the streets as pedestrians and residents in towering buildings expressed their support. From balconies, children waved keffiyehs in a touching demonstration of unity.

The protest marched to Senator Klobuchar’s office where protesters placed body bags at her door – a solemn reminder of the human cost of her policy decisions. Above the body bags, the windows and doors of the building were covered with signs reading “Apartheid Amy, there is blood on your hands,” along with photos of children murdered by Israel.

This action was coordinated by the Free Palestine Coalition as part of the week of action called by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), Students for a Democratic Society, and the US Palestinian Communities Network (USPCN).

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