Minneapolis, MN – Marianne Hamilton, 97, a long time, highly respected, and much loved anti-war activist died Saturday August 5. Along with Polly Mann, Marianne founded Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) years ago. Polly recalls she was the model of how to do peace work, that “she was a light to all of us.”

Minneapolis, MN — At the August 8 Minneapolis Public Schools board meeting, directors voted to keep School Resource Officers in the schools. Before the meeting began, a group of young people with the Black Liberation Project, who have spent months speaking with school board members about the impact of having School Resource Officers in the schools, held a rally outside of the district offices.

Minneapolis, MN — Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee condemned the August 5 bombing of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center, stating, “It is important for all people of conscience to stand with our Muslim neighbors against the rising tide of hate crimes against them. Right-wing bigots feel validated by President Trump's words and policies and are no longer trying to control their hate. We need to denounce all acts of anti-Muslim bigotry and defend our Muslim neighbors. We need to call this what it is – a hate crime! We need to call out people, and politicians who defend these actions, as racists.”

Minneapolis, MN – President Trump signed a U.S. sanctions bill against Russia, Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on August 1. In a hostile move, both the U.S. House and Senate voted by large majorities to target the oil and gas industries of Russia, the space and nuclear industries of Iran, and the international banking and financial institutions dealing with the DPRK.

Minneapolis, MN – In response to the ever-escalating series of U.S. wars and interventions around the world, over 60 people joined a Minneapolis anti-war protest on July 22.

Demands justice for Justine Damond

Minneapolis, MN – On July 21, 150 people gathered together at Loring Park for a demonstration demanding justice for Justine Damond, who was murdered by the Minneapolis Police Department. The demo was held in spite of an announcement the same day that Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau would resign and Assistant Police Chief Medaria Arradondo would take her place.

Minneapolis, MN – A coalition to Twin Cities area peace and anti-war groups will hold a protest under the call of “Say no to endless U.S. wars,” on Saturday, July 22. The event will start at 1 p.m. at Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis. Participants will hold signs and banners along the sidewalks of the very busy intersection.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 150 people gathered in Minneapolis’ Fulton neighborhood, July 16, to remember Justine Damond, who was murdered by Minneapolis police Saturday night. Neighbors remember the woman as a good neighbor and as a spiritual teacher. Damond came to the U.S. from Australia a few years ago.

Minneapolis- Over 180 people attended the premiere screening of Palestine: Why the Caged Dove Sings, July 13, a documentary made by Sabry Wazwaz, a Palestinian American and a member of the Anti-War Committee. Wazwaz traveled to Palestine in 2014 to interview and document the reality of Israeli occupation.

Minneapolis, MN – The Anti-War Committee will be hosting the first public premier of the documentary, Palestine: Why the Caged Dove Sings Thursday, July 13, 7 p.m. at the Saint Anthony Main Theatre. After the film, there will be a discussion with the director and producer, Sabry Wazwaz.

Minneapolis, MN – About 50 people gathered at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Minneapolis, June 29, to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate Trump’s Muslim ban.

Minneapolis, MN – On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court deviated from previous lower court rulings to allow portions of the Trump Muslim ban to go into effect. This new interim policy will allow the Trump administration to prevent travel for people from six Muslim majority countries – Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen – who lack a “bona fide relationship” with an American person or entity. The court also ruled that during this time, national security concerns related to these countries can take precedence over other obligations to accept refugees. The U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear oral arguments on the travel ban in October.

Minneapolis, MN – Tens of thousands lined Hennepin Avenue to watch the annual Twin Cities LGBTQ Pride parade on June 25. A group of hundreds behind a banner reading “Justice for Philando #NoJusticeNoPride” took the lead of the parade, a few blocks ahead of the police car that was supposed to lead the official parade. The group was protesting Pride’s decision to allow police to lead the parade and be present throughout the festival, despite an epidemic of police violence that particularly targets queer and trans people of color.

Activists still fighting to stop his deportation

Minneapolis, MN – On June 23, the charges against Ariel Vences Lopez of ‘fare evasion,’ ‘obstruction of process’ and ‘providing a false name to police’ were dropped. This legal victory is one step in the campaign that immigrant rights and anti-police brutality activists are waging to stop the deportation of Vences Lopez and stop police harassment and brutality on Twin Cities public transit.

Minneapolis, MN – Judge Hilary Caliguiri approved a deal today, June 12, between Hennepin County prosecutors and Nathan Gustavsson, one of the white supremacists involved in the November 2015 shooting of five Black men at a protest demanding justice for Jamar Clark.

Minneapolis, MN – A row of chairs reserved for the University of Minnesota Board of Regents sat empty while university unions held their own public hearing on university budget, June 8.

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota chapter of CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations, held a press conference, June 9, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis to show unity on the eve of ACT for America’s national “March Against Sharia.”

“The UPS operations manager held a meeting and asked who wanted to pray. After we raised our hands, he said that he would replace all of us”

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today announced the filing of a lawsuit in state court, June 1, against UPS Mail Innovations and Doherty Staffing Solutions for firing multiple Muslim employees who wanted to pray during their break times, after previously having allowed them to pray.

Minneapolis, MN – About 100 people gathered at the Minneapolis federal building, June 1, to demand “Trump out now.” Organized by the Resist from Day One Coalition, speakers from the environmental, labor, student and immigrant rights movements blasted Trump’s policies.

Minneapolis, MN – Organized by the Resist from Day One Coalition, a Trump Out Now protest has been set for 4:30 p.m., June1, at the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis (4th Street and 4th Avenue).