St. Paul, MN – On Saturday, January 6, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee along with the Free Palestine Coalition led a caravan of over 100 cars and bikes with the to draw attention to the genocidal violence facing the people of Palestine.

Participants met at noon and decorated their cars and bikes with Palestinian flags and signs reading “End U.S. aid to Israel” and “Free Palestine” before setting off on a six-mile trip through different Saint Paul neighborhoods. They traveled through historic Summit-University, Cathedral Hill, Rondo, and Frogtown, honking and chanting to passersby.

The bike ride component of the caravan was part of a global solidarity effort with the Gaza Sunbirds, a Gaza-based para-cycling team. As per its website, since the genocide began the team “has reverted all its resources to providing community-led aid to Gaza.”

Anti-War Committee member Samantha Alsadi was excited by the public’s reception, saying, “During the car caravan, I saw a lot of supportive and positive feedback from the community. People came out of restaurants, businesses and their homes to video, cheer and chant ‘Free free Palestine’ along with us. Driving past the Islamic Center off University, I saw some kids with their families who looked so happy to see us. The kids were visibly really excited, chanting ‘Free Palestine’ and giving us thumbs up.”

Alsadi continued, “I caught eyes with one little girl, probably six or seven years old. She had a huge smile on her face. It made me think – maybe had I seen a Free Palestine car caravan as a little girl, I wouldn't have grown up being so afraid to tell people that I'm Palestinian. Maybe I would have felt safe and supported to be Palestinian in America had I seen grown-ups fighting for Palestine. Either way, it really makes me happy to see so much support from the community, and to show the children that there are many of us who care and are trying our best to make a positive difference. I don't take these moments for granted.”

The car caravan was part of a National Week of Action “No Genocide in the New Year” called by the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). Protesters were encouraged to attend the Sunday march in Minneapolis to conclude the week of action.

The Free Palestine Coalition continues organizing for Minnesota to divest from apartheid Israel as well as calling for an end to the siege of Gaza, an end to U.S. aid to apartheid Israel, and a free Palestine.

#StPaul #International #Palestine #MNAWC #USPCN

St. Paul, MN – Twin Cities activists stood in solidarity with indigenous water protectors, July 29, and led a coordinated banner drop around Saint Paul and Minneapolis to pressure the Canadian oil company Enbridge to stop its Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline.

This action is in direct response to last month’s aggressive actions by local law enforcement to repress one of the indigenous-led resistance camps in northern Minnesota. The repression includes the arrests of 20-plus water protectors participating in a sunrise ceremony at Red Lake treaty camp, the arrests of seven water protectors who took action at the Shell River, and the non-violent direct action led by the Giniw Collective at the Willow, Crow Wing, and Shell Rivers to delay construction.

Line 3 is a pipeline that would carry nearly a million barrels a day of crude tar sands oil, some of the dirtiest oil to burn and extract, from Alberta, Canada through Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. It is owned by Enbridge, a Canadian oil company responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. The proposed pipeline crosses over 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi river twice, and violates Indigenous treaty rights. Should the pipeline spill, millions of people downstream will feel the effects and wild rice beds sacred to the Anishinaabe people in Minnesota lakes will be destroyed.

This pipeline would also have devastating effects as far as climate change. The emissions from the oil would be equivalent to 50 new coal fired powered plants. In a time of historic droughts, wildfires and storms caused by the changing climate, now is not the time to be investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Banners were dropped at six highly visible areas: I-94 bridges crossing Prior Avenue, Chicago Avenue, and Nicollet Avenue, as well as the Loring Park bridge and the I-94 westbound tunnel entrance. Activists hoped to capture the attention of Saint Paul and Minneapolis residents and highlight the fight against Line 3.

As construction continues throughout the summer, local activists will continue to stage actions and mobilize people to support the movement against Line 3. You can learn more at stopline3.org and can support the movement directly at https://linktr.ee/stopline3.

#StPaul #EnvironmentalJustice #TwinCities #Enbridge #Line3

St. Paul, MN – Twin Cities activists stood in solidarity with indigenous water protectors, July 29, and led a coordinated banner drop around Saint Paul and Minneapolis to pressure the Canadian oil company Enbridge to stop its Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline.

This action is in direct response to last month’s aggressive actions by local law enforcement to repress one of the indigenous-led resistance camps in northern Minnesota. The repression includes the arrests of 20-plus water protectors participating in a sunrise ceremony at Red Lake treaty camp, the arrests of seven water protectors who took action at the Shell River, and the non-violent direct action led by the Giniw Collective at the Willow, Crow Wing, and Shell Rivers to delay construction.

Line 3 is a pipeline that would carry nearly a million barrels a day of crude tar sands oil, some of the dirtiest oil to burn and extract, from Alberta, Canada through Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. It is owned by Enbridge, a Canadian oil company responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. The proposed pipeline crosses over 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi river twice, and violates Indigenous treaty rights. Should the pipeline spill, millions of people downstream will feel the effects and wild rice beds sacred to the Anishinaabe people in Minnesota lakes will be destroyed.

This pipeline would also have devastating effects as far as climate change. The emissions from the oil would be equivalent to 50 new coal fired powered plants. In a time of historic droughts, wildfires and storms caused by the changing climate, now is not the time to be investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Banners were dropped at six highly visible areas: I-94 bridges crossing Prior Avenue, Chicago Avenue, and Nicollet Avenue, as well as the Loring Park bridge and the I-94 westbound tunnel entrance. Activists hoped to capture the attention of Saint Paul and Minneapolis residents and highlight the fight against Line 3.

As construction continues throughout the summer, local activists will continue to stage actions and mobilize people to support the movement against Line 3. You can learn more at stopline3.org and can support the movement directly at https://linktr.ee/stopline3.

#StPaul #ChicanoLatino #EnvironmentalJustice #TwinCities #Enbridge #Line3

St. Paul, MN – Twin Cities activists stood in solidarity with indigenous water protectors, July 29, and led a coordinated banner drop around Saint Paul and Minneapolis to pressure the Canadian oil company Enbridge to stop its Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline.

This action is in direct response to last month’s aggressive actions by local law enforcement to repress one of the indigenous-led resistance camps in northern Minnesota. The repression includes the arrests of 20-plus water protectors participating in a sunrise ceremony at Red Lake treaty camp, the arrests of seven water protectors who took action at the Shell River, and the non-violent direct action led by the Giniw Collective at the Willow, Crow Wing, and Shell Rivers to delay construction.

Line 3 is a pipeline that would carry nearly a million barrels a day of crude tar sands oil, some of the dirtiest oil to burn and extract, from Alberta, Canada through Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. It is owned by Enbridge, a Canadian oil company responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. The proposed pipeline crosses over 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi river twice, and violates Indigenous treaty rights. Should the pipeline spill, millions of people downstream will feel the effects and wild rice beds sacred to the Anishinaabe people in Minnesota lakes will be destroyed.

This pipeline would also have devastating effects as far as climate change. The emissions from the oil would be equivalent to 50 new coal fired powered plants. In a time of historic droughts, wildfires and storms caused by the changing climate, now is not the time to be investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Banners were dropped at six highly visible areas: I-94 bridges crossing Prior Avenue, Chicago Avenue, and Nicollet Avenue, as well as the Loring Park bridge and the I-94 westbound tunnel entrance. Activists hoped to capture the attention of Saint Paul and Minneapolis residents and highlight the fight against Line 3.

As construction continues throughout the summer, local activists will continue to stage actions and mobilize people to support the movement against Line 3. You can learn more at stopline3.org and can support the movement directly at https://linktr.ee/stopline3.

#StPaul #ChicanoLatino #EnvironmentalJustice #TwinCities #Enbridge #Line3

St. Paul, MN – Twin Cities activists stood in solidarity with indigenous water protectors, July 29, and led a coordinated banner drop around Saint Paul and Minneapolis to pressure the Canadian oil company Enbridge to stop its Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline.

This action is in direct response to last month’s aggressive actions by local law enforcement to repress one of the indigenous-led resistance camps in northern Minnesota. The repression includes the arrests of 20-plus water protectors participating in a sunrise ceremony at Red Lake treaty camp, the arrests of seven water protectors who took action at the Shell River, and the non-violent direct action led by the Giniw Collective at the Willow, Crow Wing, and Shell Rivers to delay construction.

Line 3 is a pipeline that would carry nearly a million barrels a day of crude tar sands oil, some of the dirtiest oil to burn and extract, from Alberta, Canada through Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. It is owned by Enbridge, a Canadian oil company responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. The proposed pipeline crosses over 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi river twice, and violates Indigenous treaty rights. Should the pipeline spill, millions of people downstream will feel the effects and wild rice beds sacred to the Anishinaabe people in Minnesota lakes will be destroyed.

This pipeline would also have devastating effects as far as climate change. The emissions from the oil would be equivalent to 50 new coal fired powered plants. In a time of historic droughts, wildfires and storms caused by the changing climate, now is not the time to be investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Banners were dropped at six highly visible areas: I-94 bridges crossing Prior Avenue, Chicago Avenue, and Nicollet Avenue, as well as the Loring Park bridge and the I-94 westbound tunnel entrance. Activists hoped to capture the attention of Saint Paul and Minneapolis residents and highlight the fight against Line 3.

As construction continues throughout the summer, local activists will continue to stage actions and mobilize people to support the movement against Line 3. You can learn more at stopline3.org and can support the movement directly at https://linktr.ee/stopline3.

#StPaul #ChicanoLatino #EnvironmentalJustice #TwinCities #Enbridge #Line3

St. Paul, MN – Twin Cities activists stood in solidarity with indigenous water protectors, July 29, and led a coordinated banner drop around Saint Paul and Minneapolis to pressure the Canadian oil company Enbridge to stop its Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline.

This action is in direct response to last month’s aggressive actions by local law enforcement to repress one of the indigenous-led resistance camps in northern Minnesota. The repression includes the arrests of 20-plus water protectors participating in a sunrise ceremony at Red Lake treaty camp, the arrests of seven water protectors who took action at the Shell River, and the non-violent direct action led by the Giniw Collective at the Willow, Crow Wing, and Shell Rivers to delay construction.

Line 3 is a pipeline that would carry nearly a million barrels a day of crude tar sands oil, some of the dirtiest oil to burn and extract, from Alberta, Canada through Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. It is owned by Enbridge, a Canadian oil company responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. The proposed pipeline crosses over 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi river twice, and violates Indigenous treaty rights. Should the pipeline spill, millions of people downstream will feel the effects and wild rice beds sacred to the Anishinaabe people in Minnesota lakes will be destroyed.

This pipeline would also have devastating effects as far as climate change. The emissions from the oil would be equivalent to 50 new coal fired powered plants. In a time of historic droughts, wildfires and storms caused by the changing climate, now is not the time to be investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Banners were dropped at six highly visible areas: I-94 bridges crossing Prior Avenue, Chicago Avenue, and Nicollet Avenue, as well as the Loring Park bridge and the I-94 westbound tunnel entrance. Activists hoped to capture the attention of Saint Paul and Minneapolis residents and highlight the fight against Line 3.

As construction continues throughout the summer, local activists will continue to stage actions and mobilize people to support the movement against Line 3. You can learn more at stopline3.org and can support the movement directly at https://linktr.ee/stopline3.

#StPaul #ChicanoLatino #EnvironmentalJustice #TwinCities #Enbridge #Line3

Saint Paul, MN – More than 100 people protested in front of the Mexican Consulate on Dec. 3, calling for an end to ‘Plan México’ and all U.S. aid that goes to the Mexican military and police, because of their rampant repression and human rights abuses against the people of Mexico.

The protest was part of a national day of action in at least 43 U.S. cities in response to the September kidnapping and disappearance of 43 Mexican students from the rural teachers college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero by the Mexican police in collaboration with a local cartel.

Protest organizers used the hashtag #UStired2 (for “U.S. tired too”) as an echo of the hashtag being used by the movement in México: #YaMeCanse (“I’m tired of this”). #YaMeCanse was started after a top Mexican government official said he was tired of all the protests; the movement turned it around to mean that they are tired of the government’s murderous corruption and impunity.

What happened in Ayotzinapa has sent shock waves throughout México as massive militant protests rocked the country. Ayotzinapa is seen by many as the straw that broke the camel’s back after more than 100,000 people have been similarly ‘disappeared’ and killed since 2006 at the hands of the intertwined Mexican police, military and cartels.

Mexico receives large amounts of military aid and political support from Washington, DC. According to local immigration attorney and activist Susana De Leon, “Thousands of the 100,000 dead and 25,000 missing were killed and disappeared by a corrupt Mexican government which is widely acknowledged to be colluding with narcotraffickers. Billions in guns, ammunition and training for police, military and other security forces were paid for with our U.S. tax dollars. #UStired2’s goal is to promote peace by stopping Plan México. A major component of Plan México is Plan Merida, a multi-billion dollar security aid program that President Obama has promised to continue indefinitely.”

The 43 missing students, who studied at Ayotzinapa, a teacher training college in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, went missing on Sept. 26. After taking part in a protest in the city of Iguala, about 120 miles south of Mexico City, the convoy of buses they were travelling home in came under fire from Iguala’s municipal police. Subsequently a series of mass graves has been discovered just outside Iguala, though it’s as yet unconfirmed whether they contain the bodies of the students.

#SaintPaulMN #Mexico #PeoplesStruggles #MN #StPaul #Ayotzinapa #DrugCartels #NationalDayOfAction #Americas

St. Paul, MN – A bill that places a moratorium on home foreclosures and brings a halt to the eviction of tenants from foreclosed buildings got through the Minnesota State House of Representatives Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division, Feb. 9. The moratorium bill will now proceed to the House Commerce Committee. It is expected that Senate hearings on the bill will be announced in coming days.

Republicans pulled a parliamentary move, right before the vote, to have the bill forwarded to the Commerce Committee “without recommendation.” The main excuse offered was that some members missed the Jan. 28 two-hour pre-session hearing that was devoted solely to the bill.

“This is a real victory,” stated Linden Gawboy of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, the group brought the bill to legislators. “This is the start of a serious debate on the foreclosure crisis in Minnesota. Lobbyists for the bankers are running around the capitol to oppose us. We will not rest until there is a moratorium in place.”

#StPaulMN #StPaul #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles