A year ago police in Minneapolis murdered George Floyd, provoking mass protests and a rebellion. Here are a few photos from the first days of protests and from the rebellion in Minneapolis. Photos by Brad Sigal.

March ends by joining vigil for Yadhira Romero Martinez

Minneapolis, MN – On April 24, protesters took the streets for the second time here to demand justice for Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old Mexican-American boy who was shot to death by a Chicago Police Department officer while he had his hands up. The video footage of the murder was recently released, sparking a wave of protests in Chicago and around the country.

Saint Paul, MN – On March 20, around 60 people protested outside the Whipple Federal Building, which houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to demand an end to the war on immigrants. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) to mark two months since President Biden was inaugurated.

2020 was quite a year with huge upsurges of struggle. And when there's an upsurge, you can bet it will be accompanied by protest music. This year has been no exception.

Photos from the historic George Floyd uprising in Minneapolis in late May 2020.

Diego Armando Maradona died November 25. One of the most universally known people in the world, Maradona passed away at age 60 while recovering from surgery.

Saint Paul, MN – At the State Board of Investments (SBI) meeting on August 26, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) member Mari Mansfield spoke out, demanding that Minnesota divest its funds from the border militarization corporation Elbit Systems.

Minneapolis, MN – On July 18, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis to demand justice for women lost to state violence. Organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), the protest focused on Vanessa Guillen and Breonna Taylor. The dual focus on Vanessa Guillen, who was Latina, and Breonna Taylor, who was Black, aimed to build unity between Black and Latino communities as well as other communities in the struggle for justice.

Saint Paul, MN – On June 10, Native Lives Matter, AIM of Twin Cities and AIM Patrol of Minneapolis led a protest that pulled down the 10-foot tall statue of Christopher Columbus that had stood in front of the Minnesota State Capitol since 1931. A couple hundred people cheered as protesters put a rope around Columbus’s neck and dozens pulled until the statue came crashing down face-first.

Minneapolis, MN – After dark on Monday, May 11, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) held a candlelight vigil at the Minneapolis Federal Courthouse to remember Carlos Ernesto Escobar-Mejia. He is the first person reported to die of COVID-19 while in jail detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The speakers at the vigil called on people to remember Carlos and called on government officials to free all ICE detainees.