Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

MInneapolisMN

By staff

Postal workers march against ICE using post office facilities.

Minneapolis, MN- On December 14, over 100 postal workers and supporters braved subzero temperatures to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) using post office parking lots as staging areas. The action was organized by rank-and-file members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 9, which represents Minneapolis workers.

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By Yossi Aharoni

International Human Rights Day marked in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis, MN – On December 14, a freezing cold Sunday, over 100 activists, protesters and community members gathered for an indoor rally at Salem Lutheran Church on Lyndale Avenue to commemorate International Human Rights Day in Minneapolis.

Historically this event has been a protest or march organized by the MN Anti-War Committee, but unfortunately the weather this year, nearly 0 degrees, made being outdoors nearly impossible so event organizers made the last-minute decision to hold it indoors.

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By Lina Jebara

Minneapolis, MN – On December 6, around 30 people gathered at the Lucy Parsons Center for a political prisoners panel and letter writing workshop organized by the Minnesota chapter of the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN). The panel took place amidst an increasingly repressive political climate in the U.S.

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By Sophie Breen

Immigrant rights advocates at the Minneapolis sanctuary ordinance public hearing.

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, December 9, at least 100 immigrant rights advocates packed the Minneapolis sanctuary ordinance public hearing to demand a stronger separation between the Minneapolis Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Community members witnessed the Minneapolis Police Department assist ICE in an operation in the community on June 3 and spoke up against this collaboration.

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By Peter Kellner

Minneapolis, MN – On December 8, despite subzero temperatures and snow, 300 people gathered at Mayday Plaza for a rally in solidarity with the Somali and Afghan communities in Minneapolis. The event was organized by the Free Palestine Coalition, with a wide range of grass roots organizations participating in the event.

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By Yossi Aharoni

Minneapolis protest against U.S. intervention in Venezuela.

Minneapolis, MN – On a chilly Nov. 18, a group of over 70 protesters gathered outside Senator Amy Klobuchar's office in downtown Minneapolis to demand that she stand against President Trump’s attacks against Venezuela.

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By staff

Press conference demands police contract contain penalties for officers who collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement \[ICE\] or violate the city’s separation ordinance. | Lilian Anderson/Fight Back! News

Minneapolis, MN – At a packed November 14 press conference outside the Minneapolis Public Service Building, community advocates and three Minneapolis City Council members joined the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) in calling for the city’s upcoming police contract to finally include real penalties for officers who collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or violate the city’s separation ordinance.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of Saturday, November 8, the Minneapolis Federation of Educators, Local 59 (MFE59) announced that they had reached a tentative agreement between MFE59 and Minneapolis Public Schools. This announcement came less than three days before union members were set to go out on strike.

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By Noah Schumacher

Minneapolis, MN – On October 29, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) stood shoulder to shoulder with the families of Allison Lussier and Mariah Samuels, two women killed by their ex-partners due to the failures of the Minneapolis Police Department.

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By Myrka Zambrano and Mira Altobell-Resendez

Immigrant rights protesters demand stronger sanctuary city measure.

Minneapolis, MN – On October 28, members of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) held a rally outside Minneapolis City Hall, demanding stronger protections for immigrant communities. The demonstration culminated in a sit-in at Mayor Jacob Frey’s office, where 11 MIRAC members and supporters refused to leave until the mayor publicly committed to supporting their Real Sanctuary Now campaign.

The campaign calls for a significant overhaul of Minneapolis’s current “separation ordinance” – a law meant to prohibit collaboration between city employees and federal immigration enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The existing ordinance is insufficient and has repeatedly failed to protect immigrants and the Minneapolis community from federal overreach.

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By Loretta VanPelt

George Floyd's aunt, Angela Harrelson.

Minneapolis, MN – On a rainy Tuesday evening, October 14, folks gathered at the Hennepin County Government Plaza to commemorate what would have been George Floyd’s 51st birthday.

Angela Harrelson, the aunt of George Floyd, kicked off the program and asked for everyone to stay united in fighting for justice and that she was grateful for the folks who showed up to celebrate her nephew’s birthday.

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By Sarah Berlin

Seventy students and community members gathered outside of Tate Hall at the University of Minnesota to protest the “Abortion is Oppression” tour by Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life.  | Ashley Taylor-Gouge/watchmerisempls

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, October 13, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (UMN SDS) organized an “Abortion is Freedom” protest against an anti-abortion event on campus.

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By Mira Altobell-Resendez

Immigrant rights press conference announces what mayoral candidates support stronger sanctuary city measures.

Minneapolis, MN – On October 16, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) invited the leading Minneapolis mayoral candidates to a press conference to explain how they will protect the city from violent overreach by ICE and other federal agencies. Candidates Senator Omar Fateh, DeWayne Davis and Jazz Hampton all attended and spoke. Invitations were sent to Mayor Jacob Frey and Brenda Short, who did not attend the event.

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By Liz Bolsoni

Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday, October 2, organizers from four cities reported on the government’s attempt to occupy their cities and streets since June and how people are continuing to resist and win.

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By Maeve Aickin

Minneapolis march for Palestine on October 7. | Ashley Taylor-Gougé 

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, October 7, protesters from across Minnesota converged outside the federal courthouse to protest Israel’s unceasing bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

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By Allison Gunderson

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, October 4, the MN Anti-War Committee held a protest at Mayday Plaza in response to the recent attacks and escalated targeting of Venezuela by the Trump administration.

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By Melissa Greene and Erika Zurawski

Immigrant rights activists push to make Minneapolis  a stronger sanctuary city.

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, October 6, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) held a rally inside City Hall to push forward their Real Sanctuary Now campaign. The booming chants of dozens of activists echoed throughout the building as council members completed a budget meeting.

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By staff

Minneapolis protest demands Mayor Frey to give a fair deal for the Roof Depot site

Minneapolis, MN – Climate Justice Committee and community members gathered for a family-friendly walk through Mayor Jacob Frey’s Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood on Saturday, October 4. The walk was called to raise awareness for the Roof Depot fight and urge Mayor Frey to give the East Philips neighborhood a fair deal for the site. Participants put up hundreds of posters, handed out flyers, and had conversations with community members.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization - Twin Cities

This November Minneapolis residents will once again vote for the next mayor of Minneapolis. Incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey has long been a darling of landlords, business owners and the owning class in our city. Frey not only won the last mayoral election but was voted in under a “Strong Mayor” charter amendment, expanding his sweeping powers over the Minneapolis Police Department to all other departments in the city.

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By staff

Protest demands dropping federal  charges against  Isavela Lopez.

Minneapolis, MN – On September 29, over 70 activists and community members showed up at the federal courthouse to demand that U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson immediately drop the charges against Isavela López.

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