News and Views from the People's Struggle
Minneapolis, MN – Protesters stood outside the offices of Senator Amy Klobuchar, April 10, to call attention to the Palestinians being killed by the Israeli military. This emergency bannering comes as Palestinians are being killed during the Great March of Return, which began on Land Day, March 30, and will continue for six weeks until Al Nakba on May 15.
Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of Twin-Cities peace, anti-war and other organizations will hold protest on Sunday, April 15 as part of a nationally coordinated weekend of events in cities across the U.S.
Minneapolis, MN – Steff Yorek, the Political Secretary of Freedom Road Socialist Organization sharply condemned the Israeli authorities for opening fire on the massive, March 30, Great March of Return protests in Gaza, Palestine. Early reports indicate that at least seven Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured.
Minneapolis, MN — On March 20, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced charges against former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor for the murder of Justine Damond. That same night, Justice for Justine Damond and the rest of the Twin Cities anti-police crimes movement came together to demand #Justice4All with a rally of around 100 people. March 21 was Noor’s first appearance in court.
Minneapolis, MN – It may have been Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, but the sea of green in downtown Minneapolis was not a display of holiday revelry, it was a sign of an important labor struggle, as over 200 AFSCME Hennepin County Medical Center clerical and technical workers, along with supporters, picketed to demand a decent contract.
Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Anti-War Committee issued the following action alert to its supporters on March 15 after the Trump administration announced the nomination of CIA Director Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State and the nomination of Deputy Director Gina Haspel for CIA director. Fight Back! is circulating the call for constituents to contact their senators.
Minneapolis, MN — About 100 people rallied here, March 8, to mark International Women’s Day. Loretta Van Pelt, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, told the crowd, “We in Freedom Road know the enemy is bigger than Trump. And we call out that enemy. It is the capitalist class. We see the oppression and patriarchy that they try to shove down our throats. Their system that says women should work for peanuts, or work for free, and silently accept the abuses that ruin our lives. But we will not be silent! Today, on International Women’s Day, we shout our rage.”
Minneapolis, MN — Plans are underway to mark International Women’s Day with an outdoor rally, March 8, 5 p.m., at Mayday Plaza, 301 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis. Organized by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the event has been endorsed by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, Welfare Rights Committee, Native Lives Matter, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Minnesota, and Women's March MN.
Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 28, students from multiple Minneapolis middle and high schools walked out of classes to demand a clean Dream Act. More than 75 students rallied briefly at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park before travelling to the University of Minnesota campus and marching to the office of Senator Amy Klobuchar. Once they arrived at Klobuchar’s office, students stormed into the building and refused to leave until the senator agreed to meet with them.
Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 22, the snow fell as Minnesotans stood outside the offices of Senator Klobuchar to oppose the U.S. war threats against Korea. A statement from protest organizers, the Anti-War Committee, said, “Korea has a right to self-determination. The Trump regime needs to stand down, end U.S. war preparations on the Korean peninsula and not add the deaths of millions of Koreans to the administration’s already bloody tally.”
Minneapolis, MN – Trade unions and their supporters are mobilizing for the Feb. 24 Working People's Day of Action. A major outpouring for workers’ rights is expected in cities across the U.S.
Minneapolis, MN – Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) Political Secretary Steff Yorek called for protests at President Trump’s proposed Washington, DC military parade. Speaking to Fight Back! on Feb. 7, Yorek stated, “Trump’s military parade cannot be separated from preparations for war on the Korean peninsula, and other places. At a time when the U.S. is waging wars around the world, there is no reason why those of us who support peace with justice should allow Trump’s display of military might in D.C. to go forward unimpeded.”
On Feb. 4, more than 500 people protesting police brutality, racism and corporate greed marched on the Super Bowl. These stunning photographs we taken by Kim DeFranco.
Minneapolis, MN – Braving sub-zero temperatures, more than 500 people protesting police brutality, racism and corporate greed gathered in south Minneapolis at Peavey Park and marched U.S. Bank Stadium, the site of the Super Bowl, Feb. 4. Upon arriving at the stadium, hundreds of participants took a knee to show their opposition to racist police terror.
Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 4, Minneapolis will host a protest against racist police brutality and the sell-out of the city to greedy NFL owners and corporate sponsors. The demonstration, organized by the Super Bowl Anti-Racist Anti-Corporation Coalition (SAAC), will bring together more than 20 local community organizations, for a rally will start at Peavey Park (Franklin & Chicago Ave), at 3 p.m., to be followed by a march to U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minneapolis, MN – About 100 supporters of Fight Back! attended a very successful fundraising party, Jan. 20, that netted more than $2600 for the newspaper that “builds the people’s struggle.” Leaders of unions, groups opposing police terror, student, anti-war and immigrant rights organizations gave short toasts praising the paper's accomplishments.
Minneapolis, MN – Several hundred protesters marched through the streets of Minneapolis chanting “Refugees are welcome here,” on Jan. 20th, the one-year anniversary of Trump taking office. Protesters included participants from last year’s women’s march with pink pussycat hats, immigrants, members of the anti-war and anti-police brutality movements, and children. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee.
Minneapolis, MN – On Sunday, Jan.14, immigrant rights activists, including students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, held a protest and community outreach action on the corner of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue, a busy intersection in the heart of the Minneapolis Latino immigrant community. They demanded that Congress pass a clean Dream Act before the Jan. 19 congressional budget deadline.A clean Dream Act means permanent protection for immigrant youth with DACA status who were brought here as children, without pairing that with repressive anti-immigrant measures like the border wall, ending family-based immigration and the diversity lottery or increased raids and deportations against other immigrants like President Trump is trying to do.At the busy intersection, the protesters held signs and chanted demanding a clean Dream Act. Some signs also supported Salvadorans, Haitians and others for whom Trump has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS), exposing hundreds of thousands of families to the threat of deportation. Some of the group’s signs also made pointed reference to Trump’s recent racist statement calling El Salvador, Haiti, and African countries “shithole countries.” Many passing cars honked and signaled their agreement with the anti-Trump and pro-immigrant message.The action was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Interracial Student Movement (ISM), as part of a series of efforts to pressure Congress to act now to pass a clean Dream Act.After protesting outside in the bitter cold for a half hour, the group went inside a popular Latino immigrant marketplace. There, American Indian Movement (AIM) leader Clyde Bellecourt spoke to the group, expressing support for immigrant youth. Bellecourt put the struggle in the context of European colonization of the Americas and the struggle of the indigenous peoples of the Americas for unity and justice, and emphasizing the importance of young people in leading the struggle forward.Then, in a visual and participatory action, the group shared balloons with messages supporting immigrant youth written on them with people in the marketplace. The organizers called on everybody to pop their balloons at the same time to symbolize that President Trump and Congress are trying to destroy young people’s dreams. Three organizers from the group spoke to the gathered crowd, sharing information with people about the struggle of DACA youth and the need for the community to get involved in the fight for a clean Dream Act.In September 2017, President Trump abruptly announced the end of DACA. A federal court ruling has temporarily forced the administration to keep DACA alive while court cases about it are still being heard. But this is a temporary situation, not a real solution. The need for action for immigrant youth is as urgent as ever. As soon as the court cases end, every day around 122 more immigrant youth will lose their legal status and face the threat of being deported and uprooted from the only life they have ever known. Having put 800,000 immigrant youth in jeopardy of deportation by ending DACA, President Trump and anti-immigrant Republicans in Congress are now cynically using these young immigrants as bargaining chips for their anti-immigrant agenda.Democrats in Congress have given lip service in support of immigrant youth, yet enough of them voted before the new year in support of the continuing resolution to fund the congressional budget for it to pass, temporarily keeping the government open until the fast-approaching Jan. 19 deadline. With that deadline upon us, another congressional vote on the budget is here, and the Republicans can’t pass it without some Democrats’ votes. So immigrant rights activists around the country are demanding that congressional Democrats turn their lip service into action and all vote no on passing any congressional budget unless a clean Dream Act is passed, even if that means a government shutdown. That is one of the strongest kinds of leverage they have to force a clean Dream Act through despite the opposition of anti-immigrant Republicans in Congress and the administration.
Demands are to pass Sanctuary City Platform and create a Minneapolis Police Accountability Council
Minneapolis, MN – On Jan. 12, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) made their presence felt at the first meeting of the newly-elected Minneapolis city council.
Minneapolis, MN – Standing in the front of U.S. Bank Stadium, leaders of the Super Bowl Anti-Racist Anti-Corporation Coalition (SAAC) announced their plans Jan. 11 at a press conference for a Feb. 4 rally that will start at Peavey Park, at 3 p.m., followed by a march on the stadium on Super Bowl Sunday. Organizers say they are uniting to protest racist police brutality and the sellout of the city to greedy NFL owners and corporate sponsors.