Minneapolis, MN – In the evening of September 5, 100 students, staff, faculty and community members, led by the University of Minnesota chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, gathered at McNamara plaza to demand the University of Minnesota divest from Israel and all entities complicit in war crimes and human rights violations.

Minneapolis, MN – On August 30, 150 University of Minnesota students, staff, faculty and community members rallied and marched from Morrill Hall to McNamara Plaza in response to the Board of Regents vote that happened earlier this week.

The Board voted on a resolution that would impose political and institutional neutrality on the university’s endowment fund. This vote was pushed by new University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham. It effectively makes any sort of divestment from Israel, or weapon manufacturers and other entities complicit in war crimes and human rights violations, impossible. It takes away any accountability that administration has to its students, to its staff, or to its faculty.

Minneapolis, MN – On August 16, over 100 activists and community members held a celebratory rally in response to winning the struggle to shut down a long-time polluter, Smith Foundry.

Minneapolis, MN – On August 19, over 100 activists and community members from the Twin Cities will travel to Chicago to protest within sight and sound of the Democratic National Convention. Spearheaded by the MN Anti War Committee and the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, protesters will join tens of thousands of people demanding substantive protections for immigrants, urgent interventions in the climate crisis, and an end to funding for the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Minneapolis, MN - On July 19 a Microsoft outage took the world by storm. The mid-morning blackout of Microsoft services was an unexpected hit that shut down business as usual. Airlines in particular were severely impacted by this outage as it canceled and delayed many flights. At non-unionized airlines such as Delta, this temporary shutdown has exposed and exacerbated already existing issues.

Minneapolis, MN - On Friday July 26, after 23 days on strike, Minneapolis Parks workers, who are represented by the Laborers International Union of North America Local 363 (LIUNA 363) reached a tentative agreement on terms for a new contract with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. 

Minneapolis, MN – Minneapolis park workers have been on strike since July 4, after seven months of negotiations failed to lead to a contract that they could accept. The park workers are represented by the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), Local 363.

On Wednesday July 24, the park workers decided it was time to take their fight to the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board meeting and make them face the workers. The board had intended to vote on a resolution to move a proposal at the bargaining table. However, after LIUNA members and supporters held a picket line for three hours, and packed the board room, ultimately the meeting adjourned with no other business being conducted except approving the meeting agenda.

Minneapolis, MN – On July 24, several hundred protesters took to the street in front of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s downtown office on busy Washington Avenue. A smaller group, holding banners that read “We are the red line” then shut down the southbound on-ramp to Interstate 35W and declared their intention not to disperse despite police orders.

Minneapolis, MN – On July 15, the Coalition to March on the RNC successfully brought more than 3500 protesters together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to protest against the racist, reactionary agenda of the Republican National Convention. 100 of these protesters arrived on coach buses from Minneapolis organized by the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee and the MN Abortion Action Committee.

This convention is where Republican delegates met to choose their party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump, known for his anti-immigrant and misogynistic statements and policies. The thousands of protesters from around the nation marched within sight and sound of the convention center, thanks to the Coalition’s years-long fight against the city for a militant march route.

Minneapolis, MN – On July 4, round 100 members of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 363 walked off their jobs and began what was intended to be a limited-duration strike set to end on Wednesday, July 10.

Right from the start the attitude was one of feisty resolve from these workers. This is the first time in the Minneapolis Park Board’s 141 year history that the workers went on strike, and the strike was authorized by a 94% majority.