Saint Paul, MN – On May 21 the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and Minnesota Poor Peoples Campaign held a rally outside the Minnesota State Capitol. The rally featured members of MIRAC speaking about their experience with immigration and fighting deportations and also featured local movement singer Jayanthi Kyle leading the group in powerful songs.

After the speakers in front of the capitol, the group of around 100 people marched to the east side of the capitol grounds where there is a statue of Christopher Columbus. Surrounding the statue, the group spoke out about colonialism and white supremacy, with people like Columbus lionized despite setting in motion genocide against the native peoples of the Americas.

A sign was placed in front of the statue to tell the truth about Columbus’ real legacy and the group read it out loud together. Then people wrote messages on cards and left them at the statue expressing their reasons for why the statue should be removed from the capitol grounds.

The May 21 rally was the second of a series of Monday rallies that the Poor People’s Campaign is organizing over 40 days in conjunction with different organizations fighting for economic, racial social and environmental justice.

MIRAC and the Poor People’s Campaign will also hold another rally on the morning on May 22 at the Whipple Federal Building, where ICE is headquartered, with the theme of “The People Put ICE on Trial.”

#SaintPaulMN #MIRAc #PoorPeoplesCampaign #ChristopherColumbus