News and Views from the People's Struggle
Minneapolis, MN – Burhan Mohumed, a Somali-American leader in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis and a member of Minnesotans Against Islamophobia, was visited by law enforcement on July 22. Mohumed refused to speak to them and quickly posted the audio of their encounter online.
Minneapolis, MN – About 40 people rallied in front of the Federal Courthouse, May 26, to demand justice for the three Somali youth who are facing life in prison, having been entrapped by the FBI. Family, other members of the Somali community and anti-war activists called for the release of Guled Omar, Abdirahman Daud and Mohamad Farah.
Minneapolis, MN – After a few days of preliminary motions and jury selection, opening arguments were presented on May 11 at the trial of three young local Somali men. Many members of the Somali community and the local peace movement are attending the trial. The Minnesota Coalition to Defend the Muslim Community, which includes the Anti-War Committee, is planning to organize rallies every Thursday of the trial to support with the families of the accused and to speak out against government abuses in this case.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 100 people came to the Minneapolis Federal Courts Building to support three Muslim youth from the Somali community charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIL and to commit murder abroad. The trial began May 9, for Guled Ali Omar, 21; Abdurahman Yasin Daud, 22; and Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, 22, who were entrapped by the FBI and now face possible life sentences.
St. Paul, MN – Hundreds of Somali American families gathered on the State Capitol grounds, Jan. 6, to protest shutdown of hawalas. Hawalas are the only way that Somalis in the U.S. can send money to relatives in their homeland. 3 million people in Somalia depended on these remittances for survival. Because of U.S. government restrictions stemming from the ‘war on terror,’ Sunrise Community Bank, the one bank that used to process funds for all of the hawalas in Minnesota, stopped working with hawalas in late December. This is a cause of great anguish for people fearful for their families in Somalia. One demand is for the U.S. to grant a waiver so the bank will resume processing wire transfers via hawalas.
#SaintPaulMN #SaintPaul #warOnTerror #SomaliImmigrants #Somalia #Hawalas #Africa
Minneapolis, MN – Over 800 people marched here on March 23 to demand “Justice for Jeilani.” Half of the protesters were Somali immigrants. The march to the Hennepin County Government Center was a strong statement against the attacks on their community. Less than two weeks earlier, Abu Kassim Jeilani, a Somali man, died after Minneapolis police officers shot him at least 16 times. Police had followed him for blocks, claiming he was a threat because he carried a machete at his side. He was gunned down after placing his hand on a squad car. All police officers were at least 10 feet away from Mr. Jeilani when they shot him. Protesters say this brutal response was unwarranted, and demand prosecution of the police involved in the shooting. Friends and family reported that Mr. Jeilani had been suffering from an episode of mental illness after a recent visit from the FBI. He was afraid that he was in danger from authorities.
#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #News #PoliceBrutality #SomaliImmigrants