Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Jess Sundin

By Jess Sundin

Life of Jaffort Smith honored, demand justice for man murdered by St. Paul polic

St. Paul, MN – Saturday, May 9, on the fourth anniversary of Jaffort Smith’s death at the hands of police, community members joined his family for a socially-distanced caravan protest and balloon release to honor Smith’s life. They met in Cayuga Park, where speakers Monique Cullars Doty and mother Matilda Smith addressed the crowd. Balloons were released, and Minister Toya Woodland led the group in prayer. They then set out in cars, passing the nearby site where police officers Michael Tschida and Mark Grundhauser murdered Smith with at least 49 shots. The group proceeded to the Saint Paul Police Department Eastern District station, where they lined the block, posted signs on the building and chanted.

#StPaulMN #OppressedNationalities #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #SaintPaulPoliceDepartment #Antiracism #JaffortSmith

By Jess Sundin

Minneapolis protest demands justice for Jamar and end to police crimes.

Minneapolis, MN – About 30 vehicles drove through North Minneapolis on Sunday, May 3, to mark the day that Jamar Clark should have turned 29 years old. Horns blaring, the caravan made its way to the block where Clark was killed by police in November 2015. Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar brought together family and community members to celebrate Clark’s life, and to continue the fight for justice through Jamar.

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By Jess Sundin

Protesters cause cancellation of Amy Klobuchar event, demanding "Free Myon Burre

St. Louis Park, MN – Amy Klobuchar supporters couldn’t fill the gymnasium, March 1, at Saint Louis Park High School, even with the help of some 250 protesters demanding freedom for Myon Burrell, an innocent Black teen she sent to prison for life when she was the county district attorney. Myon Burrell’s family, the Racial Justice Network, Minneapolis NAACP, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar, Communities United Against Police Brutality, and Black Lives Matter Minnesota called for community members to mobilize to protest at the Klobuchar rally, two days before the primary vote. For more than a month, they’ve been calling on Klobuchar to drop out of the race. Hours after the protest, she announced she’s doing just that.

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By Jess Sundin

Minneapolis, MN – When Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appeared at the University of Minnesota to reflect on his first year of governing, he was confronted by angry community members demanding that he call for the prosecutions of killer cops across the state. Family members of police murder victims were joined by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, UMN Students for a Democratic Society, SMASH students from Minneapolis South High School, and others.

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By Jess Sundin

Frank Chapman speaking in the South High library, at Black History Month event.

Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of people came out for several events marking Black History month with Chicago’s Frank Chapman, who is a leading member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

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By Jess Sundin

Michael Toussaint, father of Myon Burrell, speaks

Minneapolis, MN – “A young African American man by the name of Myon Burrell has spent more than half of his life incarcerated in Minnesota prisons under the leadership of Amy Klobuchar. She was the Hennepin County Attorney and she played a role in Myon Burrell being prosecuted for a crime that he did not commit,” said Nekima Levy Pounds of Racial Justice Network, as she opened a press conference on January 29. “We want to lift up family of Tyesha Edwards, who was the victim in this case, an 11-year-old innocent child who was shot and killed. The incident that happened to Tyesha is extremely devastating. It sent shockwaves through our community.”

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By Jess Sundin

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Richfield, MN – On September 8, family, friends and community members honored Brian J. Quinones, who was shot to death by Edina police in Richfield on September 7. A vigil near the spot where he was killed, in front of Seasons Park Apartments on 77th Street, was followed by a march that went onto Interstate 494 and shut down traffic.

#RichfieldMN #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #BrianQuinones

By Jess Sundin

Sumaya and Badrudin Aden.

Minneapolis, MN – A September 5 press conference at the offices of CAIR MN made public new information in the police murder of 23-year-old Isak Aden. Aden, a breadwinner and caregiver for his younger siblings and disabled grandmother, was surrounded on July 2 by 90 officers for four hours in the Twin Cities suburb of Eagan, before fatal shots were fired by five cops from the cities of Eagan and Bloomington.

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By Jess Sundin

Protest demands justice for Isak Aden.

Eagan, MN – Some 200 community members gathered here July 16 to demand justice for Isak Aden, a Somali man who was killed by police in this Saint Paul suburb on July 2. Aden was a 23-year-old college student who was killed by police after a four-hour standoff with 90 officers from nine different agencies. Five police officers from the cities of Eagan and Bloomington were named responsible for his death.

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By Jess Sundin

Minneapolis, MN – For the final event in a week marking three years since Jamar Clark was killed by police, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) hosted an organizing meeting, November 17, titled, “JusticeThruJamar: Community Control of MPD – Making it Real!”

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By Jess Sundin

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Minneapolis, MN – Just days after a news of new Trump administration attacks against transgender people, transgender community members and allies responded with a massive demonstration of solidarity on October 28. Several thousand people – transgender, intersex and gender-expansive people, and allies – lined three and a half miles of sidewalks along Lake Street, from Minneapolis to Saint Paul.

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By Jess Sundin

Corretta Blevins (hands folded), sister of Thurman Blevins.

Minneapolis, MN – The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) was denied a platform to defend their cover-ups of police killings, including their current ‘investigation’ of the police murder of Thurman Blevins, on July 12.

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By Jess Sundin

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Minneapolis, MN – 50 gathered at City Hall to demand justice for Thurman Blevins, an African American man killed two weeks ago by Minneapolis police, with multiple shots to the back. Family members led a 2.5-mile march that passed through the plaza at Target Field. Hundreds of baseball fans witnessed the march, some joining in the chants. Protesters want an independent investigation of the killing, the firing and prosecution of killer cops Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly, and community control of the police.

#Minneapolis #MinneapolisMN #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #PoliceCrimes #ThurmanBlevins #TargetField

By Jess Sundin

Angel Smith El

Minneapolis, MN – In response to the ketamine drugging scandal of the Minneapolis Police Department and Hennepin County Emergency Medical Services, community members gathered at City Hall on June 19. Representatives of Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J), the Racial Justice Network, ACLU of Minnesota and New North addressed the media to demand justice, accountability and reparations for victims.

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By Jess Sundin

Tyrone Williams at conclusion of battle to stop foreclosure of their house

Minneapolis, MN – Across the Twin Cities, community members are reeling from the sudden death of Tyrone Rashad Williams, who was shot outside his family home on the early evening of Tuesday, April 3. As his sister, Raeisha said, “Honor my bro as an individual, not another slain African American male on the North Side, because that’s not who he is. His name was Tyrone Rashad Williams and he was a freedom fighter. He was a community activist. He was a lover, he was a father, he was a son, he was an uncle. He was a friend to many people.”

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By Jess Sundin

Palestinian American hero  Rasmea Odeh speaking shortly before her deportation.

Chicago, IL — About 150 people gathered outside the international terminal, Sept. 19, at Chicago's O'Hare airport in support of Rasmea Odeh. The send-off rally was the last chance for supporters to say goodbye, as Rasmea was forced to depart the U.S. after an almost four-year legal and political struggle. Speakers applauded Rasmea and a defense campaign that put Israel on trial for its crimes, and lifted up the cause of Palestinian liberation.

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By Jess Sundin

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Minneapolis, MN – Tens of thousands lined Hennepin Avenue to watch the annual Twin Cities LGBTQ Pride parade on June 25. A group of hundreds behind a banner reading “Justice for Philando #NoJusticeNoPride” took the lead of the parade, a few blocks ahead of the police car that was supposed to lead the official parade. The group was protesting Pride’s decision to allow police to lead the parade and be present throughout the festival, despite an epidemic of police violence that particularly targets queer and trans people of color.

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By Jess Sundin

Minneapolis, MN – Judge Hilary Caliguiri approved a deal today, June 12, between Hennepin County prosecutors and Nathan Gustavsson, one of the white supremacists involved in the November 2015 shooting of five Black men at a protest demanding justice for Jamar Clark.

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By Jess Sundin

Rasmea Odeh speaking to supporters after Detroit plea agreement hearing

Detroit, MI – On Tuesday, April 25, Palestinian icon Rasmea Odeh was joined in Detroit by supporters from across the Midwest at a federal court hearing on a plea agreement reached last month, on a single violation of immigration law.

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By Jess Sundin

Sunday for a vigil at the site of Cordale Handy's murder.

St. Paul, MN – Dozens burst into the city council meeting here on Wednesday afternoon, March 22, to demand answers after the police killing of 29-year-old African American, Cordale Handy.

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