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!”

Immigrants and supporters say ‘No’ to Trump

On Wednesday, Nov. 23, 5 p.m., immigrants and supporters who are vowing to fight against President-elect Donald Trump and his anti-immigrant agenda will gather at the corner of Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. After a short rally, the crowd will march down Lake Street. The event is being organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee’s “No More Deportations” campaign.

On Nov. 16, three Somali American youth were sentenced to decades in prison. Guled Omar was given a prison sentence of 35 years and Abdirahman Daud and Mohamed Farah were each given sentences of 30 years in prison by Judge Davis in what the mainstream media has called the ‘ISIS trial.’

On Nov. 16, three Somali American youth were sentenced to decades in prison. Guled Omar was given a prison sentence of 35 years and Abdirahman Daud and Mohamed Farah were each given sentences of 30 years in prison by Judge Davis in what the mainstream media has called the ‘ISIS trial.’

Minneapolis, MN – Sobre los resultados electorales del 9 de noviembre, el secretario político de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad (FRSO) Steff Yorek dijo “Trump es un tóxico promotor de ataques racistas anti-inmigrante y anti-musulmán, como también es un enemigo de las mujeres. Su campaña populista de derecha atrajo a todas las fuerzas reaccionarias y retrogradas del país. Como predicador de la avaricia, no hay duda que hará cuanto esté en su poder para beneficiar a los multimillonarios como él. Trump no es nuestro presidente y tenemos que hacer todo lo posible para hundir su administración con una marea de lucha y resistencia. Debemos hacer que el país sea ingobernable”.

Demands that university president be fired

A group of more than 50 students, led by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), took over the first floor of Coffman Memorial Union, the University of Minnesota’s student center, for a public demonstration and teach-in on issues of inequalities in education mid-day on Nov. 9.

100 people marched through North Minneapolis, Nov. 13, to remember Jamar Clark, and continue the fight for justice and against police crimes. The event kicked off a week of actions to mark one year since Clark was killed by Minneapolis police. Organized by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), the action opened with a rally at Broadway and Lyndale Avenues, then took to the streets for about three miles, marching past the Fourth police precinct and to the site of Clark’s murder at James and Plymouth Avenues.

Minneapolis, MN – Two days after Donald Trump was declared the winner in the presidential election, several thousand people poured into the streets of Minneapolis, Nov. 10, to express their outrage and pledging to resist Trump’s entire reactionary agenda. Chants ranged from “We reject the president elect!” and “Not our president!” to chants supporting particular struggles and movements like immigrant rights, Black Lives Matter, Native struggles, environmental struggles, LGBTQ and women's liberation, and more.

Commenting on the outcome of the elections, Nov. 9, Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Political Secretary Steff Yorek stated, “Trump is a toxic promoter of racist anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim attacks. He is an enemy of women. His right-wing populist campaign was a magnet that drew of everything reactionary and backwards in this county. As preacher of the gospel of greed, there is no doubt he will do everything in his power to improve the lot of billionaires like himself. He is not our president. We need to do everything we can to drown his administration in a high tide of struggle and fightbacks. We should aim to make this country ungovernable.”

Forty people attended a forum Oct. 29, “Revolution in the Philippines: Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win.” The forum at Mayday Books featured a presentation by Joe Iosbaker, a Chicago-based anti-war movement leader and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) who participated in a recent international solidarity delegation to Western Mindanao in the Philippines.

Minneapolis, MN – Nearly 2000 protesters, many Native American, rallied at city hall here, Oct. 28, demanding that Hennepin County Sheriff Stanek immediately withdraw sheriff department personnel from North Dakota, where they have been deployed against demonstrators who are fighting to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Minneapolis, MN – Recently the Washington Post exposed Donald Trump’s conversation with Billy Bush where he bragged about sexually assaulting multiple women. Then Trump dismissed the discussion as “locker room talk” and in the presidential debate denied that he had ever sexually assaulted anyone. Every time I turn on the radio or open my computer I see or hear woman after woman accusing Trump of sexual assault. Since that time I have found myself experiencing moments of rage, depression and anxiety and have been shocked at the ways these events have rocked the U.S.

Minneapolis, MN – Few were surprised here on Friday, Oct. 21, when MPD Chief Jenee Harteau announced that the department had cleared its own officers of wrongdoing in the killing of 24-year-old Jamar Clark almost a year ago. With Mayor Betsy Hodges at her side, the chief regurgitated the same defense offered by Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman when he announced in March that he would not prosecute the cops who killed Jamar.

Minneapolis, MN – Around 200 people packed Cowles Auditorium at the University of Minnesota Oct. 20 to hear from the families of eight Minnesota men who are currently detained by immigration officials and facing the threat of deportation to Cambodia. The families called for the release of the Minnesota 8 and an end to unjust deportations. The event also featured the documentary Sentenced Home, which tells the stories of several men who have already been deported to Cambodia.