Bloomington, MN – On April 25 and 26, Education Minnesota (EdMN) held its annual convention in Bloomington, Minnesota. Hundreds of teachers, paraprofessionals and aspiring and retired educators gathered for the union’s annual convention, which included more than 600 elected delegates. At the convention, the delegates elected their governing board, voted for constitution and bylaw amendments, and decided on action items put forward by EdMN’s 84,000 members. They also elected EdMN’s first Black president, Monica Byron.

With the Trump administration’s attacks on public education, bargaining rights and immigrant communities, this convention held an air of resistance to the policies of an increasingly oppressive government. A great sense of unity and collective support was widely felt as educators spoke about and made plans for how to stand together and fight back against the attacks.

One of the most popular action items was put forward by members of Minneapolis Federation of Educators Local 59 (MFE) and was a proposal for EdMN to establish a new investigative task force with regards to member pension investments.

The text of this resolution called for the creation of “…a task force to investigate the investment of Education MN member pensions in violation of human rights and civil liberties; as well as its involvement in the desecration of cultural and ethnic identities, war, illegal occupation, land theft and military conflicts.” This task force would compile this information and publish a report of its findings within six months for its members and also would “…host a member meeting to discuss the results of the task force investigation…to explore strategies to bring investments into congruence with humanitarian values and humanitarian law.”

Additionally, the new task force would deliver a letter to the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI), which manages Minnesota’s public sector workers’ pension funds and has become a primary target for a new wave of working-class activism in opposition to Israeli apartheid. Many public sector union pensions currently are invested in funds with ties to Israel. This letter would detail “the investments that violate human rights, civil liberties, cultural and ethnic identities, and [that] contribute to war, illegal occupation, land theft and military conflicts.” Finally, this letter, along with supporting information sent to the SBI would “…advocate for divestment” from identified investments, companies, or government bonds made by the SBI.”

This proposal was briefly discussed amongst the membership of EdMN, with many members of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators (MFE) speaking passionately in support.

MFE member Abir Ismail spoke in support of the proposal, “As public school educators, we should have clear ethical guidelines for how our pensions are invested. The investment of our pensions should align with international law and our shared values. We cannot stay silent and say they live thousands of miles away, when our pensions are being used to fund the massacre of children in Gaza, instead of being invested in the future of our own students and communities. Our pensions have contributed to the deaths of thousands of children – children who have been burned alive, dismembered, their body parts scattered among the ruins of what used to be classrooms, playgrounds, and homes. Children who dreamed of becoming doctors, artists, teachers – erased from this earth with the help of our money.” Ismail continued, “What does it say about our values when our pensions contribute to the suffering of children? Where is our humanity? How can we witness these atrocities and still sleep at night?”

The MFE member who introduced and spoke for the proposal received a raucous round of applause from the hundreds of union members in the room. Outgoing president Denise Specht sternly reminded members not to cheer or clap for those speaking in favor or opposition to action items during the meeting, per convention rules. This was the only instance of this reminder being necessary throughout the convention.

Other members who spoke in favor made connections between the oppression and genocide of Palestinian people and the historic and ongoing wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and violence in America. They focused on the use of Gaza and Palestinians as a testing ground for the technologies which are then used to militarize the southern border of the U.S., as well as databases used to track and monitor immigrants and their families which mirror those the Israeli military uses to track Palestinians. Speakers pointed out the hypocrisy of working people employed in education in America being committed to the wellbeing and education of children only to see their pensions and tax dollars be invested in companies which create weapons used to kill tens of thousands of children in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria.

Many EdMN members at the convention were wore keffiyehs and the high level of support in the room for the resolution showed new momentum in the decades long fight for divestment. The motion to create the task force was approved nearly unanimously. Supporters of the motion and those involved in Palestinian solidarity work within their respective unions also shared flyers about the MN Anti-War Committee and their DivestMN website, which lays out which kinds of investments could be affected by this proposal.

#BloomingtonMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #EdMN #MFE

Bloomington, MN – On September 14, 80 activists marched on the Bloomington General Dynamics facility to highlight the company's role in facilitating Israel's relentless attacks against occupied Palestine.

This event, organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, began with a rally at the intersection of Penn Avenue and 88th Street at the corner of the Penn Lake Library. Following 45 minutes of lively speeches and chants, demonstrators marched to the front of General Dynamics’ “Mission Systems” facility.

Michael Runyon, founder of Students for Palestine Normandale, explained why community members were calling attention to General Dynamics.

“[When] Israel began their genocide of Gaza, the CFO of General Dynamics told investors that the thing that stands out is the artillery side,” Runyon said. “In other words, if you want to make money, we can do it by killing men, women, and children. They are on track now to produce 100,000 artillery shells per month.”

Over the past eleven months, Israel has targeted Palestinian civilians and civilian infrastructure using a variety of arms made by General Dynamics, from the 155 mm artillery shells Runyon referenced in his speech to 2000 lb bunker buster bombs; from tanks to cybersecurity systems; from robotic combat vehicles to sophisticated guns.

General Dynamics, the world's fifth-largest weapons manufacturer, generates an estimated $38.5 billion in revenue per year. The corporation has spent decades furnishing the state of Israel with a range of munitions and equipment, but public scrutiny has increased since Israel's well-documented campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide commenced last October.

Sarah Martin, a longtime member of Women Against Military Madness, pointed out the complicity of the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) in enabling Israel’s many war crimes. “We Minnesotans don’t want over three billion dollars of our money flowing to death and destruction,” Martin said. “We need to divest, and we need to divest now!”

Martin was referring to an ongoing divestment campaign spearheaded by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC), which aims to pressure the SBI to divest an estimated $4.3 billion of public money from entities that are actively or passively linked to Israel’s economy.

Neil Radford, a rank-and-file union member of MFT59 and a member of Minnesota Workers United, pointed out that over $30 million dollars of Minnesotan pensioners’ money gets siphoned toward General Dynamics alone.

Radford stated, “When Americans are willing to forgo any sense of morality in what their labor creates, or our collective responsibility to each other as human beings; when they see war as inevitable and an opportunity for investment and upward mobility; they will end up working for a company like General Dynamics and continuing a path to a hopeless future.”

Event emcee Naveen Borojerdi closed out the program with several robust chants and the cry, “We’ll be back!” to whoops and cheers from the assembled crowd. Attendees were encouraged to stay up-to-date on the AWC's continuing SBI divestment campaign by visiting divestmn.com.

#BloomingtonMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #WeaponsIndustry #GeneralDynamics #MPAC #WAMM #MWU #AWC

Bloomington, MN – On March 16, protesters held a march to the Bloomington facility of weapons manufacturer General Dynamics, to demand that the Minnesota State Board of Investment divests public funds from General Dynamics for its weapons trade with apartheid Israel. Israel has relied heavily on General Dynamics’ weapons for decades, including during its ongoing genocide against Gaza over the last five months.

The protest of 400 people started near the Penn-Lake Library with a rally followed by a march to General Dynamics building in Bloomington. General Dynamics is the world’s fifth largest weapons manufacturer, with an annual revenue of $38.5 billion. General Dynamics manufactures and sells military weapons and equipment – including armored fighting and robotic combat vehicles, tanks, artillery systems, aircraft guns and cybersecurity systems – and is currently the only company that produces the 155mm artillery shells that have been used by Israel in Gaza. These weapons have repeatedly been fired against Palestinian civilians, resulting in numerous casualties as well as mass destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water and electric systems.

Students for Palestine Normandale, Bloomington Students for Palestine, and the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition organized the protest.

Michael Runyon, the founder of Students for Palestine Normandale, explained the reasoning behind the protest to the crowd, “This location is called a ‘Mission Systems’ location. They develop the technology behind the killing machines. They brag that they are the ‘brains behind the brawn.’ What that means is they are the brains behind the genocide.”

Audrey, a ninth-grader at Kennedy High School in Bloomington and a member of Bloomington Students for Palestine spoke to the crowd before marching, “More children have been killed in Gaza in the past four months than have been killed worldwide in the past four years of wars. How can Biden ask us to vote for him when he’s responsible for this mass murder? How can General Dynamics sit here pretending to be just a tech company when they're responsible for the deaths of so many children? Walz was at the Democratic fundraiser last night. How can he ask for money and have a fancy dinner when he doesn't divest from this genocide?”

She continued, “It’s important that students speak out about this because this is a youth issue. If you were born in Palestine in 2006, you’ve already lived through five Israeli assaults. Kids in Gaza aren’t thinking about going to college, they’re thinking about surviving the next week. Hoping to not starve to death. Hoping to not be bombed. Hoping that their families will survive.”

According to its most recent asset listings, the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) has invested over $31 million of the public pension funds it manages in General Dynamics. The MN Anti-War Committee is leading a campaign to get the SBI to divest its over $3 billion worth of investments from Israeli companies and weapons manufacturers.

Liz McLister, a member of the AWC, also spoke to the crowd, “What brings us to this particular site today? The SBI has funneled almost $37 million of Minnesotan taxpayer money into General Dynamics shares and securities.”

McLister continued, “Long before Israel's current gloves-off campaign, General Dynamics' weapons and equipment were terrorizing, maiming and killing Gazans. Shame! This company has spent years seeding death and destruction in occupied Palestine; along the U.S.-Mexico border; and elsewhere around the globe.”

The march went to General Dynamics’ “Mission Systems” facility on Queen Avenue to draw attention to their role in the rising death toll in Gaza.

#BloomingtonMN #GeneralDynamics #AntiWarCommittee #Palestine #StudentsforPalestineNormandale, #BloomingtonStudentsforPalestine #MinnesotaPeaceActionCoalition

Bloomington, MN – Students from Jefferson and Kennedy High Schools in Bloomington walked out of class on December 14, to demand justice for Palestine. 70 students walked out before their sixth period class and marched to Bloomington City Hall for a joint rally.

This was the sixth student walkout in the Twin Cities metro area in the past two months. The Bloomington students organized this action to show their support with the people in Palestine and to express their concern about the rising death toll of Palestinians – over 18,000 so far.

Kennedy High School senior Nora said, “We feel it's important to show our solidarity with the kids in Palestine who are being murdered and who have lost their families and lost their right to go to school like we get to do every day. And so regardless of the outcome of this walkout, and how important, it ends up getting to the wider world. We have a moral obligation to take a stand and show our solidarity with Palestine.”

After marching to city hall, they held a speak-out. Audrey, a ninth grader at Kennedy, explained why it is important for students to protest, “Students in Minneapolis and Edina have already walked out for Palestine. Three Edina high school students have been suspended for chanting, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!’”

Audrey continued, “We believe that it is important to understand that criticizing Israel does not equal antisemitism. The liberation of one group of people does not have to include the oppression of another. It is so important that we are out here today, because we need to defend the right for students to protest for Palestine. And it is vital that we don't pretend like this is normal. Genocide should never be normal. The killing of children should never be normal. Committing war crimes should never be normal. I am here today to show my support with people in Gaza, and to show my solidarity with the kids that are just like me that are being slaughtered.”

On the same day, Blaine High School students also organized a Palestine solidarity walkout of 40 students.

#BloomingtonMN #International #Palestine #AntiWar #StudentMovement #HighSchool

Bloomington, MN – National calls were made for protests and boycott actions on Black Friday, the largest shopping day of the year, to draw attention to Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza. At the Mall of America in Bloomington, the largest mall in the United States, protesters dropped multiple banners on November 24 in solidarity with Palestine.

At 8 a.m. activists dropped flyers and banners in the rotunda of the Mall of America demanding shoppers boycott apartheid Israel. Banners read, “Don’t fund genocide,” “Boycott Puma, boycott HP,” “Free free Palestine,” “Boycott, divest, sanctions now” and “Boycott apartheid Israel. ” Banners featured the logos for Ahava, Puma, ReMax and Hewlett Packard.

At 11:40 a banner drop at the rotunda was disrupted by Mall of America security, but two other drops went off almost simultaneously in front of the Apple store and at the food court. Both banners were 20 feet long and one read, “Every 10 minutes Israel murders a child in Palestine” and the other said “End aid to Israel”. At 12:50 another 20-foot-long banner was dropped from a parking garage that read, “Don’t support genocide” with the logos for Puma, Starbucks, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Ahava and Hewlett Packard.

All the banners were taken down by Mall of America security and no arrests were made.

#BloomingtonMN #Palestine #MallOfAmerica

Bloomington, MN – Over 500 people rallied at Kennedy High School and then marched to Bloomington City Hall, July 25, to confront a ‘blue lives matter’ demonstration.

The newly-formed Bloomington Antiracist Coalition (BARC), a group of Bloomington high school students and graduates, worked with other community and Black lives matter organizers to plan the Bloomington March for Justice. Their demands were justice for Black lives, an end to police ‘unaccountability,’ to stand in solidarity with Muslims, demand anti-racist changes to the Bloomington Public Schools, and to call for Isak Aden’s case to be reopened. Isak Aden was murdered by Eagan and Bloomington police in 2019.

Coincidentally, while BARC was beginning to plan the Bloomington March for Justice, Bloomington Patriots announced their plans for a “Back the Blue” rally. The Bloomington Patriots used marketing materials from, and coordinated with, ACT for America, an Islamophobic hate group that fearmongers about ‘sharia law coming to America.’

Tre Tellor, a spokesperson for BARC, explained the importance of the action to communities of color in Bloomington, “Marching for justice against the Back the Blue rally was really important to me because growing up in Bloomington I dealt with microagressions and feared the police every day. To get a chance to mobilize with hundreds of people in my hometown against hate was inspiring, it reminded me that there are people even in the suburbs willing to fight hate.”

As the protesters marched by city hall, the Bloomington Patriots and their supporters came out to the street to confront them. The ‘blue lives matter’ protesters were outnumbered five-to-one by the Bloomington March for Justice. Few of the pro-cop protesters wore masks, and several were openly carrying weapons, including one with an AR-15. The pro-cop protesters also carried lots of American and Trump flags. They tried to provoke multiple physical confrontations, including ripping off a marshal’s mask and glasses at one point. The Bloomington March for Justice marched around city hall and then returned to Kennedy High School.

Daniela Kunkel, one of the founders of BARC explained, “It’s important that we marched to counter the Back the Blue rally because islamophobia, anti-Blackness, racism and hate are not and will not be tolerated in Bloomington. BARC is looking for making change happen right here in the suburbs – police brutality, racial profiling and racism don’t stop at the Minneapolis city limits.”

Kunkel continued, “Isak Aden matters, his life mattered. His case needs to be talked about. The emotional and physical terror that the police officers put him through on the night they killed him needs to be talked about – 90-plus armed officers against one, 23-year-old man. He and his family have not received justice. We need to hold our police accountable in Bloomington for the unjust and brutal murder of Isak.”

The protest had a good turnout from the Bloomington community, including members from the Bloomington Federation of Teachers, many who marshalled for the first time at the march.

Cory Elsmore, a Kennedy High School teacher and union member, when asked why they were marshalling the protest, said, “My students need to see that I am there fighting for them and with them.” Julia Moe, a Jefferson High School teacher and union member agreed, “I will always be there to support my students! They are hurting and scared, and I feel that pain. We have needed this change to happen for years, and I had to show that I agree.”

The Bloomington March for Justice was organized by Bloomington Antiracist Coalition, Slaughterhouse Education, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Minnesota Disability Justice Network, Justice Squad, Project Rose, CAIR-Minnesota, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Racial Justice Network, Christ the King Lutheran Church in Bloomington MN, Indivisible Bloomington MN, and People’s Justice Coalition.

The next protest to demand justice for Isak Aden will be on August 4 at 6 p.m. at 1501 Central Parkway in Eagan, Minnesota to challenge an event hosted by the Eagan Police Department with the bogus aim of ‘building community trust.’

#BloomingtonMN #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles

Bloomington, MN – Just two days before Christmas, Dec. 23, and despite a failed lawsuit that asked courts to force organizers to cancel, Black Lives Matter protesters descended on the Mall of America (MOA) to protest the police murders of Jamar Clark and other African Americans.

Hoping to intimidate protesters, MOA security checked the bags of everyone entering the mall and locked all stores on the east side of the mall. Stores announced they would close “because of the Black Lives Matter protest,” and said shoppers who didn’t leave the store would be locked inside.

Hundreds of police from several metro area departments, wearing riot gear or bullet proof vests and wielding three-foot long batons, set out barricades around the rotunda, which was decorated with 44-foot tall silver Christmas trees. Just as the police put the mall on lockdown, protesters put their fists in the air, and marched silently out of the mall to board trains to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International airport, where both terminals were shut down. Major roads and light rail service were also disrupted.

According to organizers, “We have endured an armed white supremacist terrorist attack where five of us were shot; police violence in the form of mace, batons and less lethal projectiles; over 50 arrests on highway 94 and at the Fourth Precinct; and freezing temperatures to demand justice for Jamar Clark. If it’s not clear yet: we won’t stop until we get it.” They demand release of the tapes of the police killing; prosecution of the police involved; federal domestic terrorism charges against white supremacists who shot five protesters and “disinvesting from police and investing in Black futures.”

The protest comes two days after a grand jury in Texas gave the decision not to indict Sandra Bland’s killers. This is why the Minneapolis demands not just prosecution of the police that killed Jamar Clark, but a special prosecutor, and no grand jury.

This was a coordinated effort nationwide to disrupt airports and public transit. Other actions happened in Washington DC, San Francisco, Chicago and Chattanooga. At the airport, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis said they wanted to bring attention to the “airport’s discriminatory profiling practices against Black people and anyone who is perceived to be Muslim, as part of a larger system that continues to kill and harm Black people without any justice. The continued relentless violence against Black people is appalling and morally repugnant. The fact that Black people get constantly harassed by police forces at every level, local and federal, in airports, malls, and on the streets of America is no longer acceptable.”

Youth were out in big numbers at this particular protest, including at Terminal 2 (formerly called the Humphrey Terminal), where they led chants.

Arrests were made at both the mall and the airport, including Alex Clark, a cousin of Jamar Clark. “As we were marching out of the mall with everyone else, police came up, called Alex by name, and placed him under arrest, claiming they had a warrant. They refused to say where the warrant was from, or where they were taking him,” said his friend, Jess Sundin, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “There’s no way he was pulled from the crowd because of any warrant. Alex was targeted because he’s been leading the fight to win justice for his cousin.”

Alex and most of those arrested were released by Wednesday night, but one protester is being held without charge. According to Betsy Foxman, “David has not been charged with anything but is on a 36-hour probable cause hold. He needs to be charged with something so a bail will be set and he can be released on bail. Please call Hennepin County Jail (612-348-5112, ext 5) and ask that he be charged so that a bail can be set so he can be with his family for Christmas.”

#BloomingtonMN #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #BlackLivesMatter #MallOfAmerica #JamarClark

Gathering near the mall’s West Entrance, the group raised their voices in song calling for others to join together in the struggle for justice and freedom. Clergy and community members sang the protest song We Ain’t Gonna Stop Till the People Are Free and read the names of those killed or brutalized by police violence, including Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old woman found dead in a Texas jail cell after being arrested for failing to signal a turn. The group, consisting of people who identify as white and of European descent, wore shirts reading “Black Lives Matter” and also held a sign reading “White silence costs lives.”

“We are here because Black people are dying in America for no reason other than the color of their skin,” stated member of First Universalist Church, Denise Konen. Not only do they face the threat of daily danger, but are the first to suffer from an ingrained system of structural racism and inequity. This week, Sandra Bland died in police custody after being pulled over for not using a turn signal. What would have happened had she been white? Minneapolis has the worst racial disparities in the country in every area from housing to education to incarceration to employment to health services. Until white folks take a stand and speak out for justice our brothers and sisters will continue to be murdered by this destructive system of white supremacy. As people of faith, we believe that love can unite us and heal the wound that racism has woven into our institutions. It is this faith that call us to act now and to ask others to join us.”

Last December, the Mall of America was the site of one of the largest rallies of the Black Lives Matter movement, with over 3000 people demanding changes to racially violent policing practices. When asked why demonstrators came to this location today, Reverend Ashley Horan stated, “We are coming back to the Mall of America because we want to make the invisible visible. The MOA continues to directly support the City of Bloomington's persecution of the #MOA36 – a case that is intentionally draining the financial, spiritual and organizational capacity of the Black Lives Matter team.”

Horan continued, “We want to remind the MOA, and the public, that intimidation will not silence us. We will continue to disrupt business as usual until our society, including big business and repressive political systems change, until the charges against the #MOA36 are dropped, and until Black, brown and Native people in our country no longer fear being killed by the police or being locked in a cage. We act to honor the memory of Sandra Bland along with too many others, and we will continue to act until we live in a world where Black lives matter.”

#BloomingtonMN #AfricanAmerican #Antiracism #BlackLivesMatter #MallOfAmerica

The letter asks Johnson to redirect public resources to address racial disparities in Bloomington rather than using public dollars to prosecute courageous leaders fighting against racial inequity and requests a meeting with her to open a dialogue on issues of racial disparities in Bloomington specifically.

Eleven individuals targeted by Sandra Johnson will appear in court on March 10 for their arraignment on charges ranging from trespassing to disorderly conduct after their attendance at the peaceful demonstration which included nearly 3000 individuals on Dec. 20, 2014 at the Mall of America.

#BloomingtonMN #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #BlackLivesMatter #MallOfAmerica

Bloomington, MN – Thousands of protesters shut down large sections of the biggest shopping mall in the U.S., the Mall of America (MOA), in the early afternoon of Dec. 20, demanding an end to police brutality. The mall rotunda was filled demonstrators with raised arms, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot!”

Above the protesters in the rotunda, and alongside a giant artificial silver Christmas tree, a huge electronic billboard warned, “Those who continue to demonstrate will be subject to arrest.” More than 1000 protesters filled the store-lined corridors that radiate out from the mall’s rotunda. Some pressed through lines of mall security, with their hands raised and chanting. Many MOA stores closed up and riot-clad police could be seen marching up corridors. The protest continued until late afternoon.

A statement from demonstration organizers, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis, said, “Our basic demands are: an immediate end to the unjust police murders of unarmed Black people, including Black children and teens, and for Minnesota to take measures to eliminate the worst racial disparities in policing in the country.” The statement also called for a number of policy changes including, “adoption of legislation to end racial profiling, including an end to MOA’s illegal racial profiling.”

The protest was joined by many progressive Twin Cites organizations including the Anti-War Committee and the Welfare Rights Committee.

The protest at the Mall of America was one of the many that have taken place in recent months after the uprisings in Ferguson, Missouri in response to the police murder of Mike Brown, and the recent decision of a grand jury to let the New York cop who killed Eric Garner escape justice.

#BloomingtonMinnesota #BloomingtonMN #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #EricGarner #Ferguson #BlackLivesMatter #MallOfAmerica

Bloomington, MN – El lunes 23 de noviembre por la mañana, un grupo de activistas pro-inmigrante organizó una protesta al estilo del teatro popular para denunciar de forma dramática el racismo y la hipocresía de las redadas en contra de los inmigrantes latinos, separando familias y comunidades.

En una muestra visual muy dramática, nueve personas vestidos en uniforme de prisionero de color naranja y con capucha negra cubriendo sus cabezas llegaron a la entrada del edificio de ICE exigiendo que los oficiales de ICE les deportaran. Veinticinco personas les acompañaron para exigir que los oficiales de ICE les revisaran sus documentos. Anunciaron que no eran inmigrantes latinos sino descendientes de inmigrantes europeos admitiendo que sus ancestros vinieron a este continente ilegalmente y cometieron genocidio en contra del pueblo indígena aquí mientras robaron sus tierras. Debido a eso, exigieron que ICE les deportaran.

Los oficiales de ICE y las policías allí parecieron confundidos, y formaron una línea para bloquear la puerta del edificio para que los 'prisioneros' no entraran para ser deportados a los países Europeas de donde vinieron sus familias sin documentación. Los oficiales de ICE rehusaron revisar los documentos de estas personas para asegurar que estaban en este país legalmente. ICE también rehusó mandar un oficial afuera para reunirse con los activistas sobre las olas de inmigrantes europeos que llegaron a este país sin permiso de la población nativo americana que vivía aquí antes de la llegada de los europeos. Estos inmigrantes europeos sacaron los indígenas de sus tierras a través de una cantidad de tratados rotos y a través del genocidio.

Cuando ICE rehusó permitir la entrada al edificio a los activistas para la auto-deportación, respondieron gritando las consignas “depórtenos ya!” y “que harían si éramos latinos?” Eso dejo claro el racismo obvio detrás de la campaña de ICE de deportaciones masivas de inmigrantes latinos de sus casas y lugares de trabajo, mientras ni revisan los documentos de un grupo de gente blanca que llega a su puerta diciendo que son indocumentados en el país y pidiendo la deportación!

La protesta al estilo teatro popular fue organizada por la Coalición de Acción para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes en Minnesota (MIRAc). Esta protesta dio seguimiento a una protesta que MIRAc organizó el 14 de noviembre en que MIRAc protesto en contra de un evento anti-inmigrante “tea party” afuera del capitolio del estado. En aquella protesta, un activista pro-inmigrante que usó el nombre “Robert Erickson” les hizo trampa a la gente anti-inmigrante, metiéndose a su protesta para hablar en su propia protesta en contra del mensaje anti-inmigrante. En lugar de denunciar los inmigrantes latinos, denuncio los conquistadores europeos que colonizaron este continente robando las tierras de los nativo americanos. En la acción este lunes, “Robert Erickson” también hablo, diciendo: “[Cristóbal] Colon es el primer inmigrante ilegal…llego aquí sin papeles y no les pidió permiso a nadie. A través de las políticas de 'limpieza étnica' y exterminación de los indígenas, los peregrinos originales robaron esta tierra de los reales nativo americanos, matando más que 30 millones de los nativos en el peor caso del genocidio en la historia humana.”

Erickson diferenció entre los conquistadores europeos que llegaron aquí por razones ilegitimas para robar tierras y recursos, y los inmigrantes actuales de las Américas quienes salen de sus países debido a las guerras o políticas económicas originadas en los estados unidos que dejan sus países bancarrotas, y que vienen aquí para sobrevivir, no para conquistar. Erickson dijo: “Así como los originales peregrinos beneficiaron de la explotación y de la matanza de los americanos indígenas, los peregrines modernos están beneficiándose económicamente de las ganancias masivas por el robo de las tierras de los mexicanos, centroamericanos y suramericanos indígenas a través de la conquista económica.” Erickson llamó a la gente a que apoyan la lucha del pueblo indígena Dakota para la soberanía y a que apoyan los derechos de los inmigrantes mexicanos, centroamericanos y suramericanos que llegan ahora a los estados unidos.

Video de protesta el 23 de noviembre 2009 afuera del edificio de ICE en Bloomington, MN

#BloomingtonMN #IndigenousPeoples #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #RobertErickson

Bloomington, MN – On Monday morning, Nov. 23, a group of immigrant rights activists staged a guerrilla theater-style protest here to dramatically expose the racism and hypocrisy of immigration raids that target Latino immigrants, tearing apart families and communities.

In a striking visual display, nine people dressed as prisoners in orange jumpsuits and black hoods came to the entrance of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building here demanding to be deported. They were accompanied by 25 supporters who also demanded that ICE check their documents and deport them. They claimed to be not undocumented Latino immigrants, but instead European descendants who were admitting that their ancestors had come to this continent illegally and committed genocide against the Native Americans while stealing their lands. Because of this, they demanded that ICE deport them.

ICE officials and police officers seemed confused and formed a line blocking the door to the building, so the protesters could not enter to turn themselves in for deportation back to the European countries that their ancestors had immigrated from without documents. The ICE officers present refused to check their documents to see if they were in the country legally. The officers also refused a request for an ICE official to come out to meet with them about the waves of European immigrants who came to the U.S. without the permission of the Native Americans, who then drove the original Americans off their land through countless broken treaties and genocidal wars.

When ICE officials refused to let the protesters enter the building to turn themselves in for deportation, the protesters responded by chanted, “Deport us now!” and, “What if we were brown?” This exposed the blatant racism that targets Latino immigrants for deportation in their homes and workplaces, while refusing to even check the documents of white people who show up at ICE's doorstep claiming to be in the country illegally and asking to be deported.

The guerrilla theater-style protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc). It was a follow-up to a protest organized on Nov. 14, in which MIRAc protested against a right-wing anti-immigrant 'Tea Party' outside the Minnesota State Capitol. At that rally an immigrant rights activist going by the name of Robert Erickson tricked the anti-immigrant organizers into letting him speak at their rally. Instead of denouncing Latino immigrants, he denounced the original European colonizers to this continent that stole the land from Native Americans.

At the Nov. 23 action, Robert Erickson spoke again, saying, “[Christopher] Columbus is the original illegal immigrant…he came without papers and didn't ask for permission. Through policies of ethnic cleansing and extermination, the original pilgrims stole this land from the real [Native] Americans, killing more than 30 million [Native] Americans in the worst genocide in human history.”

Erickson differentiated between the European colonizers who came here for illegitimate reasons to steal land and resources and current immigrants from Central and South America who are forced to leave their countries by U.S.-sponsored wars and economic policies that bankrupt their countries, and come here to be able to simply survive, not to conquer.

Erickson said, “Just as the original pilgrims profited from the exploitation and murder of indigenous Americans, modern day pilgrims are reaping massive profits by displacing indigenous Mexicans, Central and South Americans from their rightful homelands through economic conquest.” Erickson encouraged people to support the native Dakota people's struggle for sovereignty and to support the rights of Mexican, Central American and South American immigrants.

Video of MIRAc action at ICE Building,Bloomington, MN,Nov. 23, 2009

#BloomingtonMN #IndigenousPeoples #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #RobertErickson

Bloomington, MN – Israeli security forces refused entry to three U.S. solidarity activists for attempting to participate in a human rights delegation organized by the Palestine Solidarity Group. Sarah Martin, member of Women Against Military Madness, and Katrina Plotz, of the Anti-War Committee, refused voluntary deportation and were forcibly deported Sunday evening, August 2. It was an emotional reunion at the airport on Monday afternoon, as Martin and Plotz were greeted with cheers and embraces by dozens of friends and supporters, carrying signs reading “Free Palestine!” and “End the occupation!”

After a brief encounter with airport security, a press conference was held in the baggage claim area. The crowd gathered closely to hear the story of the Minnesota women who have been the subject of an outpouring of support over the weekend, as hundreds made calls, sent letters demanding their release and their right to enter into Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Martin and Plotz are well-respected local peace and justice activists, especially known for their work in organizing protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul. Palestine solidarity activists from across the U.S. joined the campaign as well, in hopes of shedding a light on the situation.

“We believe that Palestinians should have the right to control their own borders,” Jess Sundin said in an opening statement for the Anti-War Committee, “Their invited guests should not have to go through an Israeli controlled security apparatus to visit them. It was Israel that turned Katrina Plotz and Sarah Martin away before they reached their destination. We denounce Israel’s policy of excluding Palestinians and those who support them. We know that this policy is part of a campaign to isolate the Palestinian people and prevent us from learning the truth about the impact of our country’s policies in the Middle East.”

According to Sarah Martin, “What we got to experience was the tight grip of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. If you’re going on a human rights delegation, which we were, you cannot tell that to Israel or they will throw you out summarily. But they knew we were a human rights delegation anyway.”

Each of the women was sent for questioning upon arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv. During the interview with Katrina Plotz, Israeli security officers showed her the Anti-War Committee website and accused her of lying about her plans. He was shouting and banging his desk with a book and then threw it on the floor.

Sarah Martin continued, “They regretted to inform us that we weren’t going to be allowed into Israel because we were a security threat. We were a security threat, because they do not want the reality of Palestine known to the outside world, and that was our point. So, Katrina and I decided, no we’re not going, we’re not going that easy and so we refused to get on the airplane.”

Katrina Plotz agreed, “They’re afraid of people knowing the truth. They are afraid of people who have any amount of courage to stand up against them and stand up for the rights and the dignity of Palestinians. So they kept us cut off from each other and from all of you and all the work that was being done.” The women were put in separate cells and not allowed to speak with each other or make phone calls while they were detained.

There was graffiti on the walls of Plotz’s cell. She was denied a pen or pencil, but wrote with the cap of a soda can: “Free Palestine,” “Israel out of Palestine,” “Justice for Gaza,” and “Right of Return.” When the guards discovered this, they took the rest of her food, turned the lights off in her cell, and ultimately handcuffed her to the bed. Some time later, the women were driven to the plane in separate cars, put on the plane separately and still not allowed to speak to one another. The women were never informed that supporters had secured a lawyer for them. They were never given the form required to file a formal appeal of their deportation. Their only outside contact was with the U.S. Embassy, who also failed to inform them of their rights or assist them in anything other than communicating their status to friends and family back home.

According to Plotz, “It’s not democracy. It’s not fair and it’s wrong. I’m glad to have been able to take just a small stand against that.”

Martin added, “One other irony, we were returned home. One of the main demands of Palestinians is the right of return, to go back to those lands that were taken and cleared in 1948. That’s enshrined in UN law and has been reaffirmed year after year, but it’s never been implemented and the U.S. and UN has never enforced that. Instead of a right of return, more and more land is being taken away, and more and more houses are being bulldozed.”

Palestinian Sameh Shabaneh, of the Al Aqsa Foundation, also addressed the crowd. “What these courageous ladies went through, the Palestinians go through on daily basis. There are millions of Palestinian refugees in the world that cannot visit their homes the original homes and villages, let alone resettle there. They have the keys for their homes and they cannot actually go there because they are not permitted by the Israeli occupation. Palestinians are barred from moving around their towns and villages. Farmers are taken away from their farmlands. Teachers are being kept away from their schools. Doctors are not being able to go to hospitals to help the needy. And pregnant women are giving birth at checkpoints.”

“I don’t think a pregnant woman, or for that matter, Sarah my friend, look at her,” Sameh continued, gesturing towards 69-year old Sarah Martin, “neither is a threat for Israel’s security. Those ladies should not be treated as such a threat to Israel’s existence.”

He also said, “Rest assured, we will soon extend an invitation for you when Palestine is free, very soon, inshallah.”

Mary Beaudoin, Director of Women Against Military Madness, closed the gathering by expressing outrage at the events of the last few days, and called on people to use the organization’s website as a resource to inform themselves of what is happing inside Palestine.

#BloomingtonMN #AntiwarMovement #News #Occupation #Palestine #AntiWarCommittee #rightOfReturn #SolidarityDelegation

Bloomington, MN – More than 500 striking flight mechanics and their supporters rallied near the airport here, Sept. 17 to demand a fair contract from Northwest Airlines. In addition to the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) strikers, the rally drew from a cross-section of the local labor movement.

The Northwest Airlines strike is key battle for the workers in the airline industry and the entire working class. Unfortunately, many labor officials refuse to support or, worse yet, are activity opposing the strikers. The vast majority of the labor movement’s rank and file backs the strike, and it’s vital that this strength is brought to bear.

After the rally, a caravan of hundreds of cars blocked the access road that is used to bring in scabs.

#BloomingtonMN #News #AirlineIndustry #AMFA #AMFAStrikeAgainstNorthwestAirlines #NorthwestAirlinesMachinistsStike #Strikes

The May 6 protest was the follow-through on an open letter calling on President Obama to sign an executive order declaring a moratorium on immigration raids and deportations within the first 100 days of his administration. This event was preceded by several public civil disobedience trainings, the last of which was held at the May 1 immigrant rights march in Minneapolis.

This action was an escalation in response to the silence of the administration demonstrated by the continuation of raids and deportations which have torn families and communities apart, resulting in numerous human rights abuses and over 90 deaths in ICE detention centers since 2003. Over the past several years, the immigrant rights movement has organized marches, hunger strikes, petitions and lobbied for change, all with the goal of ending these human rights abuses – yet the raids and deportations have continued.

President Obama has said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Community members have decided to take matters into their own hands to realize this message. Phillip Lickteig, one of the dozens of community members who participated in the action, states, “President Obama, we take you at your word. We are non-violent because we wish, through contrast, to expose the system of violence and fear that pervades the communities, workplaces, schools and homes of the undocumented and their children. We are disobedient because the law is unjust.”

#BloomingtonMN #News #ICE #civilDisobedience #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #detentions

Bloomington, MN – 30 community members were arrested here, May 6 while committing civil disobedience to shut down the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters and stop deportations for the day. The action was initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action coalition (MIRAc).

An ICE official stated that the action did not disrupt any of the naturalization ceremonies, but failed to comment on whether or not the goal of stopping deportations for the day was accomplished.

According to Nick Espinosa, who participated in the civil disobedience, “Our civil disobedience protest was successful in calling attention to the ongoing crisis and tragedy of immigration raids and deportations. We got out the message that there is a simple, immediate solution: President Obama can and must sign an executive order declaring a moratorium on raids and deportations.”

U.S. Representative Keith Ellison echoed the message of the protesters: “ICE raids should come to a stop. They’re disruptive and they create fear...it’s critical that it not go off national consciousness.”

A strong community support rally that lasted from 7:00 a.m. until the final arrestee was released around 8:00 p.m. kept the participants in high spirits. However, cases of harassment and mistreatment by the Bloomington police department were reported by those arrested.

The activists were well prepped for the action, thanks to several training sessions, and were fully aware that the only information they were required to give the police was on their drivers licenses. But the police repeatedly misled those being held, claiming that that they could not be processed and released until disclosing their place of birth and social security number. An arrestee noted, “These questions were designed to identify potential undocumented immigrants to report to ICE, so we didn’t want to participate in that system.”

The Bloomington police ultimately released all of those arrested on Wednesday, even though most of the arrestees refused to give their social security numbers, effectively exposing the contradictory statements made by the police. Some were detained for nearly ten hours without food.

When questioned why they required this information, several officers implied it would be used to verify the citizenship status of those arrested. Furthermore, the officers suggested that they regularly turn over undocumented persons to ICE.

#BloomingtonMN #News #ICE #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalitionMIRAc #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE

Solidarity with Immigrant Workers

One resolution called for AFSCME Council 5 to actively support the immigrant rights movement. While this resolution passed, it was the only one out of the 21 resolutions presented at the convention that aroused any debate and that some delegates voted against. The 20 other resolutions were all approved unanimously. About three quarters of the delegates voted in favor of the immigrant rights resolution, the Council 5 Executive Board supported it and one of the Chair Officers spoke strongly in favor of it.

But a quarter of the delegates voted against the immigrant rights resolution. This shows why it is so important to bring forward such resolutions, to bring the debate about immigrant rights out into the open in the labor movement. It is important to have the discussion openly, to try to convince those that disagree that this is about solidarity, and that immigrant workers’ fight for legalization and full equality is the fight of all workers.

The immigrant rights resolution that was passed at the Council 5 convention is one of the more progressive immigrant rights positions taken by a union in the U.S. Some unions have played a fairly bad role at the national level, such as SEIU, by supporting the ‘compromise’ Kennedy-McCain bill. This bill would create a massive second-class guest worker program, a three-tier program that would call for the immediate deportation of the millions of immigrant workers who have been here less than two years, impose a highly restrictive process that would exclude the majority of immigrant workers and a system where it would take more than ten years for the few who do qualify to get any sort of legal status.

The resolution passed at the AFSCME Council 5 convention is better than this. The resolution was modeled on the resolution passed at the AFSCME International Convention in August, but is more concise. It clearly comes out in favor of legalization, against expanded guest worker programs, and against ‘enforcement-only’ and ‘enforcement-first’ policies. It also states clearly that AFSCME is against NAFTA-style free trade agreements. The resolution calls on Council 5 and on locals within the Council to actively support and participate in the immigrant rights movement. It also commits AFSCME Council 5 to work against anti-immigrant legislation at the state level. The passage of this resolution was made possible by the generally progressive resolution that was passed at the AFSCME International Convention. It is significant that AFSCME Minnesota has taken a position against expanding guest worker programs as well as against enforcement-first or enforcement-only policies. This resolution puts AFSCME against all the main existing legislative proposals, from the Sensenbrenner bill to the ‘compromise’ proposals that Bush supports, which include vastly expanded guest worker programs and vast new walls and more troops on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Solidarity with Flight Attendants at Northwest Airlines

The other important resolution that was passed was a resolution in support of the flight attendants at Northwest Airlines, who are in the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union. They are in a sharp battle with Northwest Airlines, who is trying to block the flight attendants’ right to strike – saying that since Northwest is in bankruptcy the workers should not be allowed to strike. Northwest has imposed a contract on the flight attendants with 40% wage cuts and other concessions. The flight attendants have voted to reject the proposed contract twice.

This resolution called on AFSCME Council 5 to support the flight attendants in their struggle, to mobilize for their rallies, as well as to take up a collection at the convention for the flight attendants’ strike fund. Over $2100 was collected from delegates on the floor of the convention and then the convention voted to have the Council 5 Executive Board match that amount, doubling the contribution to over $4200.

Camilla Wolkerstorfer, Interim President of Council 95 of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, was a guest at the convention and spoke about their struggle with Northwest Airlines. She received standing ovations, and she was brought to tears when they announced the amount of money collected at the convention.

Both of these resolutions represented a broad-minded spirit of solidarity with all workers who are struggling for their rights. This kind of solidarity – with mostly unorganized immigrant workers and with flight attendants taking on a vicious anti-union corporation here in Minnesota – is key to revitalizing the labor movement.

#BloomingtonMN #ImmigrantRights #News #AirlineIndustry #FlightAttendants #immigrantWorkers #AFSCMECouncil5

Bloomington, MN – More than 800 aircraft mechanics and their supporters rallied here Nov. 19, expressing their determination to continue the fight against Northwest Airlines. Members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) have been on strike since Aug. 19. They rejected an NWA contract proposal that would have eliminated 53% of the mechanics’ jobs and given the remaining workers wage cuts. Since August, the contract proposals of NWA have gotten worse and the company has hired permanent replacement workers – scabs.

At the Bloomington rally a standing ovation was given to NWA workers in other unions who have refused to cross the picket lines. Phyllis Walker of AFSCME Local 3800 thanked the strikers for standing up to corporate greed, and by doing so defending the interests of all workers. Other speakers included the heads of other AMFA locals, high school students who are members of Youth Against War and Racism and Ray Rogers, director of Corporate Campaign, Inc.

#BloomingtonMN #News #AirlineIndustry #AMFAStrikeAgainstNorthwestAirlines #AircraftMechanicsFraternalAssociationAMFALocal33 #NorthwestAirlinesMachinistsStrike #Strikes

Bloomington, MN – Thousands of striking Northwest Airlines workers and their supporters rallied across from the Northwest hangar at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International airport, Aug. 27. They rallied to support the strike of 4,400 mechanics, cleaners and custodians who are members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) Local 33. The strike began on Aug. 19 in response to Northwest’s proposal to lay off 53% of AMFA mechanics – and to sock the remaining workers with a wage cut of more than 25%.

This strike is turning into one of the biggest labor battles of the decade. The blatant union-busting tactics of Northwest Airlines have polarized the state. Corporate executives at other airlines are watching closely to see if Northwest’s tactics work in dividing the workers and busting the union.

On the other hand, the courage of AMFA Local 33 members in standing up to Northwest has galvanized progressive working class sentiment. People have been waiting for someone to stand up and fight back after airline unions have continued to accept round after round of deep concessions.

The big business media has harped on prior conflicts between AMFA and other unions at Northwest, like the International Association of Machinists. They have tried to convince the public that there is little support for AMFA’s strike, based on the fact that a few bureaucratic union ‘leaders’ hold a grudge against AFMA.

But the rally showed the broad support the striking workers have in the Twin Cities community and in the labor movement.

Many Northwest flight attendants were at the rally in uniform and the flight attendants’ union president spoke at the rally. A flight attendant who was fired this week for refusing to cross the AMFA picket line spoke at the rally and called on other flight attendants to join AMFA’s picket lines. Likewise, Northwest baggage handler Kip Hedges has refused to cross the picket lines and pledged to continue to organize solidarity among other Northwest workers.

It was announced at the rally that AFSCME unions at the University of Minnesota are organizing a rally to support the striking workers Aug. 30 at the University Radisson Hotel, where some of the scab workers are being housed.

Many political candidates from the Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) party and the Green Party spoke at the rally. The presence of so many political candidates at the rally showed that they perceive that there is popular support for the striking workers, even though top labor leaders have remained conspicuously silent and absent from this major labor battle.

AMFA Local 33 President Ted Ludwig said that so far none of their members have crossed the picket line. He quoted from a leader of the historic 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters strike in his speech, driving home that this strike is historic and that more than the usual strike tactics will be needed to defeat Northwest’s determined union-busting plan.

#BloomingtonMN #News #AirlineIndustry #AMFAStrikeAgainstNorthwestAirlines #AircraftMechanicsFraternalAssociationAMFALocal33 #NorthwestAirlinesMachinistsStike #Strikes

Senior Ben Zabel explained what happened, “We chose to put on an informative display concerning the human rights abuses taking place in Guantanamo Bay. The main feature of the demonstration was me dressing up as a Guantanamo Bay prisoner in the schools cafeteria. Midway through the demonstration, Jefferson’s principal, Mr. Hill, demanded that we stop the demonstration immediately. I refused and was suspended for insubordination. This is an abuse of the school’s administrative authority and this is a blatant example of censorship of political dissent.”

Zabel asked principal Hill to discuss the issue in front of the other Youth Against War and Racism students and to have a public dialogue about what their rights to speech are at school, instead of having a private discussion in Hill’s office. Another student, senior Nick Groenke, photographed Zabel and Hill’s interaction and the guerrilla theatre. Principal Hill demanded Groenke’s BlackBerry. Hill threatened that if Groenke refused to turn over his BlackBerry he would be suspended. After Groenke gave the BlackBerry to the principal, the principal erased the photographs.

“This is just another incident in the administration’s ongoing campaign of intimidation, but we won’t be silenced. We have the right to talk about and organize against human rights abuses and the war on Iraq,” explained Groenke. Students have repeatedly been threatened with suspension for their efforts to pass out flyers and to organize participation in several city-wide walk outs. This is the first actual suspension of a Jefferson YAWR activist for organizing efforts.

#BloomingtonMN #AntiwarMovement #News #Cuba #Iraq #GuantanamoBay #humanRights #torture