Minneapolis protest marks 1-year of new U.S . war in Iraq and Syria

Minneapolis, MN – To mark one year since the start of the latest U.S. military intervention in Iraq, over 60 people joined a Minneapolis anti-war protest on August 8.

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Minneapolis, MN – To mark one year since the start of the latest U.S. military intervention in Iraq, over 60 people joined a Minneapolis anti-war protest on August 8.
Minneapolis, MN – Attorneys appeared in court, August 5, before Judge Peter Cahill for a status conference in the #BlackLivesMatter demonstration case. Notably, Bloomington Prosecutor Sandra Johnson has dropped all substantive trespassing charges against the alleged organizers of the Black Lives Matter demonstration. The move came on the heels of motions to dismiss that were filed by lead attorneys Jordan Kushner and Bruce Nestor, who are representing 10 of 11 individuals identified as ‘ringleaders’ of the Black Lives Matter gathering at the Mall of America last December.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 200 protesters marched here, July 31, demanding justice for Sandra Bland. Bland’s death has come to the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement because of her suspicious jail cell death while in police custody.

Minneapolis, MN – To mark one year since the start of the latest U.S. bombing campaign in Iraq, a coalition of Minneapolis and Saint Paul organizations will hold a protest on Saturday, August 8. The protest will be held at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis starting at 1:00 p.m.
Minneapolis, MN – This past spring, Missouri imposed a 45-month limit on how long poor families can receive federally funded welfare benefits, down from 60 months.

Minneapolis, MN – Twin Cites supporters of Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh scored a major success here, July 29, collecting well over $1000 to help her defense effort. About 50 people came together for a “Happy Hour for Rasmea” organized by the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression. The funds will be used to help get people to Cincinnati, Ohio, where it is expected that the oral arguments on Odeh’s appeal will be heard in federal court this fall.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 people protested outside the office of Senator Amy Klobuchar on July 24, demanding the closing of ‘family detention centers’ housing thousands of immigrant mothers and children near the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. The largest family detention center in Dilley, Texas houses around 2000 immigrant mothers and children, the vast majority of whom fled rampant violence and economic deterioration in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. After a harrowing and dangerous journey across several borders, these mothers and children are suffering yet another nightmare of being jailed indefinitely by the U.S. government under terrible conditions. The Dilley prison is a private prison operated for profit by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).

Minneapolis, MN – About 200 people gathered in the Warehouse District here, July 18, to install a plaque commemorating the 1934 Teamsters strike. The epic strike was one of the pivotal events of the 1930s that ushered in a huge upsurge in the labor movement.
Boycott of Mall of America in solidarity with Black Lives Matter Minneapolis
Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of members of the Somali community will boycott the Mall of America on July 18, by moving their Eid Celebration. This Eid Celebration comes at the end of the religious holy month of Ramadan for the Muslim community.

Minneapolis, MN – On July 8, Palestine solidarity protesters will gather in Loring Park, at 4:30 p.m., and march through Uptown Minneapolis to mark the one-year anniversary of Israel’s 51-day bombing campaign against Gaza. They will demand an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

Minneapolis, MN – The Supreme Court agreed today, June 30, to hear Friederichs vs. California Teachers Association, which aims to gut public sector unions and would make the public sector ‘right to work’ nationwide. The court will determine whether public sector unions can continue to collect so-called ‘fair share’ or ‘agency fees’ from non-members who benefit from the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by unions, and could overturn the landmark case Abood vs. Detroit Board of Education.

Minneapolis, MN – University of Minnesota campus union workers, holding signs demanding “raises and respect“ held a press conference regarding the U of M proposed budget before testifying at the board of regents public budget hearing.
Minneapolis, MN –Black Lives Matters Minneapolis issued a statement, June 7, in response to police abuse at a pool party of Black youth in McKinney, TX. Videos of the incident are receiving wide circulation on social media.
Minneapolis, MN – Twin Cities activists will host a live stream event with long time Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh and her defense attorney Michael Deutsch, Thursday, June 11
Minneapolis, MN – After months of organizing and community pressure, the Minneapolis city council voted 12-1 to repeal laws against lurking and spitting, June 5. These laws, disproportionately enforced against African Americans and other oppressed nationalities, had been criticized as “Minneapolis Black Codes.”

Minneapolis, MN – Over 50 protesters picketed in front of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office, May 15, and then marched across 35W to the Minneapolis West Bank neighborhood to commemorate Al-Nakba, which means the catastrophe in Arabic.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 150 University of Minnesota frontline workers, faculty and students rallied for raises and respect outside the Board of Regents meeting, on the McNamara Plaza here May 8. University Unions united – which is made up of AFSCME Locals 3800, 3937,3260 and 380 – and Teamster Local 320 organized the rally as kickoff for contract negotiations.

Minneapolis, MN – On May 1, the annual International Workers Day march for immigrant and workers rights merged in the streets with a Black Lives Matter march. During rush hour the combined march took over all lanes in both directions of major arterial streets as they marched downtown to the Hennepin County Government Center. Chants and songs alternated between the themes of immigrant rights, workers’ rights and Black Lives Matter.

Minneapolis, MN – About 2500 people are marching through the streets here, on the evening of April 29, sending a powerful message of solidarity with the struggle against police terror in Baltimore.

Minneapolis, MN – About 90 workers, community members and students came together here, April 26, for an enthusiastic celebration of International Workers’ Day. The May Day event was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).