News and Views from the People's Struggle
Minneapolis – Local 638 Teamsters tabled at the northeast Minneapolis UPS hub on Thursday, July 3. They distributed flyers on heat safety and union contract enforcement.
Minneapolis, MN – On June 26, the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN), a national network of anti-war and anti-imperialist grassroots organizations, hosted its first ever Pride webinar, tackling the important subject of pinkwashing.
Minneapolis, MN – On a rainy Monday evening, June 30, hundreds of Minnesotans lined Lake Street with signs and chants to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to give sweeping power to Trump, which could ultimately allow him to end birthright citizenship.
The decision came on Friday June 27. Legal experts say ending birthright citizenship, a right enshrined by the 14th Amendment since 1868, is a direct attack on the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped directly ruling on President Trump’s racist order, for now.
Minneapolis, MN – Immigrant rights protesters gathered at Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis June 27. This action was part of a National Day of Action called by the Legalization for All Network and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
Minneapolis, MN – On June 28, the Free Palestine Coalition and Minnesota Peace Action Coalition held a rally and march of over 200 people to oppose U.S. intervention in Iran and U.S. aid to Israel. The protest started in Powderhorn Park in south Minneapolis after the Minneapolis People’s Pride festival ended.
Minneapolis, MN On Monday June 26, more than 15,000 registered nurses at hospitals across the Twin Cities metropolitan area and Duluth, who are represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) voted to authorize a strike.
Minneapolis, MN – The $130,000 raised has dealt a real blow to the mortgage, so we are that much closer to paying off the Lucy Parsons Center building. Unlike the empty promises of the Trump administration, we don’t write checks that can’t be cashed. When we say something, we mean it, and we back it up with action. We said we were going to raise $100,000, so we did that and then some!
Minneapolis, MN – On June 13, over 100 protesters rallied outside the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) annual Humphrey-Mondale fundraising dinner. Despite hours of rain, picketers chanted outside the Minneapolis Hilton hotel, demanding that DFL leaders use their power to divest Minnesota funds from apartheid Israel after almost two years of U.S.– funded genocide of Palestinians. The action was organized by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC).
Twin Cities, MN – In the early morning hours of June 14, an individual came to the door of State Senator John Hoffman in Champlin, reportedly impersonating a police officer. He shot at Hoffman and his wife, who shielded their child from the gunfire.
Then the gunman, who has been identified as Reverend Vance Boelter, went to the Brooklyn Park home of State Representative Melissa Hortman, where he shot and killed Representative Hortman and her husband.
Reportedly, police arrived at the scene and Boelter fled on foot. He reportedly left behind his vehicle, which appeared similar to an SUV squad car. In his car, authorities report they found a list of other targets, also elected officials. Hortman is a leader of the state DFL party, and Hoffman is also a Democrat.
Reverend Boelter is a Zionist with a background in private security.
Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, June 9, hundreds of members, officers and supporters from unions across Minnesota came together for a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol demanding the immediate release of SEIU United Service Workers West (SEIU USSW) President David Huerta.
SEIU USSW represents around 45,000 members, including people who work as janitors, security, airport workers and in other property services jobs, which are jobs performed primarily by immigrants. SEIU represents around 2.1 million workers across the U.S., in property services, healthcare, public sector and Starbucks coffeeshops.
Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday, June 5, Minnesota Immigrant Movement (MIM), Asamblea de los Derechos Civiles, and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) held a press conference at Minneapolis City Hall outside of Mayor Jacob Frey’s office, hosting an array of local political and social justice leaders.
The community members and organizers demanded accountability from the mayor and MPD after local law enforcement helped federal authorities terrorize the immigrant community on Lake Street on June 3.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) on June 3 federal operation in Minneapolis at Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue.
On Tuesday June 3, at around 10:30am, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) received reports of possible ICE presence and possible immigration enforcement activity at the intersection of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in south Minneapolis. Our members arrived at the scene quickly to observe and assess the threat level of the activity.
Minneapolis, MN — On May 26, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) held a press conference outside the building that houses the offices they share with the Climate Justice Committee in South Minneapolis to address an attack over the weekend that left the building’s windows smashed and local organizers looking for answers.
Minneapolis, MN – An online event to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is set for Thursday, May 29, at 5:00pm Pacific, 6:00pm Mountain, 7:00pm Central, 8:00pm Eastern time.
Founded in 1985, FRSO emerged from the New Communist Movement and is now the leading Marxist-Leninist organization in the U.S.
Minneapolis, MN – Just days before the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, rumors swirled that Trump planned to pardon former police officer Derek Chauvin on his federal conviction for violating Floyd’s civil rights. While critical of a pardon, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told reporters he was preparing for the possibility.
Instead of waiting for bad news, organizers from Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and Black Lives Matter Minnesota called an emergency protest on Monday, May 19. Nearly 100 people gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center – the building where killer cop Derek Chauvin was convicted – to say, “No to a pardon!” and “No to all of Trump’s attacks!”
Minneapolis, MN – Activists with the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) arrived at their office at 4200 Cedar Avenue on Saturday, May 23 to find two of the front plate glass windows smashed.
The AWC shares its office with the Climate Justice Committee, and the building is a well-known meeting and event space for many grassroots organizations engaged in anti-militarism, immigrant rights, anti-police brutality and environmental justice.
With nothing stolen from inside the office, the AWC told Fight Back! that it believes this act was a targeted attack on the office. Someone broke through the double-paned plate glass and broke the metal frame of windows, which were adorned with homemade signs for Palestine, Black lives, trans rights and abortion access. A picnic table was moved to get access to the window.
The incident occurred in an environment of growing attacks on vulnerable communities and progressive organizers around the country. Progressive groups have warned that the Trump administration’s rollbacks on democratic rights send a message of impunity for reactionary vigilantism.
The Anti-War Committee is no stranger to political attacks and intimidation – several members of the group were targeted with FBI raids and grand jury summons in 2010 in an attempt to halt their Palestine solidarity organizing. All targeted organizers refused to testify and publicly stood together to repel the FBI attack and continued organizing against the U.S. war machine.
“With political violence and repression on the rise under the Trump administration, it does not surprise us to be targeted,” said Committee member Gabriel Miller. Emphasizing that this goes beyond the AWC, they continued, “Standing in solidarity with Palestine, immigrants, workers and the Black Lives Matter movement, we understand that an attack on one is an attack on all. We are not deterred by this political violence. We will continue to raise our voices louder than ever in support of oppressed peoples at home and abroad.”
The Anti-War Committee will hold a press conference with community members and local leaders like Minneapolis City Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai at 4200 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis, at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 25 in front of their boarded-up windows.
Minneapolis, MN – But wait there’s more! After the final count, we kept climbing and obliterated our goal. $181,000 was raised in the Freedom Road Socialist Organization $100K fund drive. That means we can put even more money into paying down the mortgage than we had planned. This victory belongs to all of us and is a loud and proud declaration that we are building something real and can exceed even our own expectations.
Minneapolis, MN — On May 17, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC), American Muslims for Palestine — MN (AMP), and the Free Palestine Coalition held a march to remember Al Nakba. They were joined by more than 250 community members in a march that shut down several of Minneapolis’ busiest downtown arteries. The action was a part of the Anti-War Action Network’s week of action.
Minneapolis, MN – On May 10, Minnesota public sector workers, union members and activists attended the Labor Demands Divestment teach-in and panel at the Minneapolis Federation of Educators Local 59 office. The event was organized by Minnesota Labor for Palestine and the Minnesota Anti-War Committee and was the first event organized by Minnesota Labor for Palestine, a grassroots coalition of union and non-union members based in working class solidarity with Palestine.
![Twin Cities protesters chant in opposition to a “fun run” fundraiser by Abria Pregnancy Resource, an anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center.](https://i.snap.as/QW8Exeko.jpg "Twin Cities protesters chant in opposition to a “fun run” fundraiser by Abria Pregnancy Resource, an anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center. | Photo credit: Ashley Taylor-Gouge/watchmerisempls \")
Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, May 10, Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) protested a fundraiser hosted by Abria Pregnancy Resources, a Twin Cities anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center. Pro-abortion activists and community members alike lined a stretch of Lake Harriet Parkway while anti-abortion participants were participating in Abria’s ninth annual “Life is Wonderful 10K, 5K, Walk & Fun Run.”