Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 2 an outstanding lawyer for the people, Ted Dooley, passed away. Fight Back! extends our condolences to his family, many friends and all those who knew him through the struggles for peace, justice and equality.

The first call came in to Cameron Clark – the jury would come back in 15 minutes, to say whether the man who shot him would be found guilty for his crimes. Through phone calls, texts and social media, Cameron and friends filled helped filled the courtroom, when Allen “Lance” Scarsella was brought in to face the jury. He was found guilty on all 12 counts against him, for his actions on Nov. 23, 2015, at the protest demanding justice for Jamar Clark, where Scarsella shot and wounded five Black protesters, including Jamar’s cousin Cameron.

About 15,000 people marched through the streets of downtown here, Jan. 31 to protest Trump’s Muslim ban. The protest was organized by the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee.

Minneapolis, MN – Allen “Lance” Scarsella took the stand again for the entire day, Jan. 30, attempting to convince a jury that he was acting in self-defense the night he fired eight shots into a crowd of Black people on Nov. 23, 2015. The shooting came just after protesters had removed him from the occupation demanding justice for Jamar Clark. Scarsella testified that after most of the protesters turned to go back, he was still surrounded by a handful of “very aggressive” men. He claimed that the one closest to him pulled out a shiny object he believed to be a knife.

Night of the shooting, the men shouted “Race war!” and “Trump 2016!”

The courtroom is expected to be packed for the final days of the trial of Allen “Lance” Scarsella, the white supremacist who shot five Black men at last year’s North Minneapolis protest to demand #Justice4Jamar. The trial started going into its fourth week today, Jan. 30.

The Anti-War Committee has initiated an emergency response protest in response to President Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant executive orders. The demonstration will take place Tuesday, Jan. 31, 4:30 p.m., at the Federal Building, 300 S 4th Street, Minneapolis.

The election of Donald Trump has unleashed a storm of righteous anger, as hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets in cities across the country, blocking major highways, surrounding Trump-owned office buildings, and upending ‘business as usual.’ Among a broad section of people who cherish peace, progress and equality there is a deep revulsion that grows every time Trump opens his mouth or tweets another piece of his reactionary agenda.

President Trump issued memorandums Jan. 24 to push ahead construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline. The memorandums direct the Army Corp of Engineers to expedite the issuance of an easement for crossing Lake Oahe and to rescind the Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

Minneapolis, MN – Donald Trump, the U.S. president-elect, embodies an anti-woman agenda. He promotes rape culture, attacking women who dare speak out against him as fat and ugly. He is guilty of serial sexual harassment and believes that women want to be grabbed by him because he is a celebrity. It’s difficult not to read the election of Trump as an attack on women’s gains against sexual harassment and assault and for full equality – not so much because of who didn’t win the election but because of who did. A system run by the rich and powerful, in the interests of the rich and powerful does not serve the interests of the vast majority of us no matter what face represents it.

Minneapolis, MN – Jan. 20 was a day of national Inauguration Day Anti-Trump protests. The Resist from Day One Coalition, a coalition of over 80 Twin Cities local and grassroots organizations, brought 6000 people to march and rally to reject the Trump administration’s dangerous agenda. The day included a long march with three separate rallying points, until the final stop at the Hennepin County Government Center Plaza, which is also known as People’s Plaza.

Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of people were on the picket line at 6 a.m. Jan. 20, in front of Home Depot in northeast Minneapolis to support striking janitors, who are standing up to low wages and Trump’s anti-worker agenda.

Minneapolis, MN – On Jan. 20 students will be walking out of class at the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College to protest the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as a part of the citywide Resist from Day One Coalition’s call to action. UMN Students will rally at 1 p.m. in the front plaza of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs before marching to meet up with the city-wide Resist from Day One Coalition Mega March (FFI: https://resistfromday1mn.wordpress.com/)

‘Resist From Day One’

Minneapolis, MN – A broad coalition of more than 40 organizations will join together in the streets of Minneapolis on inauguration day, Jan. 20, to resist the Trump administration’s agenda. There will also be massive protests at the inauguration in Washington D.C. and in cities around the country.

Minneapolis, MN – On Jan. 3, the opening day of Minnesota’s legislative session, the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) will hold a ‘Day of Reckoning’ protest to demand that politicians end their war on the poor. After a short noon outdoor rally at the state capitol building, low-income people and their supporters will march in formation to every legislator’s office to send a message.

Minneapolis, MN – “Fire Kaler!” chanted roughly 30 University of Minnesota students led by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the Dec. 7 board of regents meeting. Continuing the national SDS campaign of education for all, students demanded that University President Eric Kaler be removed for the incompetency and scandals witnessed under his administration.

Minneapolis, MN – Jan. 10 is the date set for the new trial of Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh. The new trial comes after a successful appeal to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and legal wrangling before Judge Drain of Detroit’s federal court.

Minneapolis, MN – Dec. 10 marks International Human Rights Day. The Minnesota Anti-War Committee had a short rally at Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue, followed by a march of 200 people to denounce Trump's agenda of hate and racism.

Minneapolis, MN – On Dec. 3, community members and activists gathered at Wayman AME Church in North Minneapolis for a panel discussion about how to “bring back transparency in law enforcement.” Panelists included Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, police federation President Lt. Bob Kroll, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputy Kellace McDaniel and Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey. All were unprepared for the heat they got from the crowd assembled in the church.

Minneapolis, MN – An audience of over 500 people gathered at North Community High School in Minneapolis, Nov. 30, to hear Shaun King speak on the rise of police killings of African Americans.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 400 people marched in Minneapolis, Nov. 23, to protest President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to attack immigrants. Lake Street, the march route, rang with chants of, “No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA,” “Build bridges, not walls” and “Trump eschucha, estamos en la lucha!”