Minneapolis, MN – More than 100 people filed into New Salem Missionary Baptist Church for a community meeting to respond to the police murder of 24-year-old Jamar Clark in North Minneapolis. Pastor Jerry McAfee was joined by some 20 other pastors, imams and other community leaders to give comfort to Clark’s family, and unite the community in calling for justice.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 350 workers on the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses of the University of Minnesota braved the rain, Nov. 17, to rally and picket for raises and respect for unionized staff at the U of MN. They were joined by university students, faculty and community members in calling for an end to the two university system – one where a few administrators at the top are getting rich, while the majority of frontline workers are falling further and further behind.

Minneapolis, MN – Protesters gathered between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. at the Minneapolis Police Department’s 4th Precinct, Nov. 16, where an occupation is underway to demand justice for Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man shot while in police custody over the weekend. Led by Minneapolis Black Lives Matter, the occupation has been disciplined and well organized with water, food and shelter surrounding the front of the building. Protesters gathered around the fire as people began to arrive. Tensions began to rise early, as the rally began with the expelling of the “white media” demanding that oppressed nationalities be allowed to tell their side of the story.

Minneapolis, MN – About 50 people were arrested here, the night of Nov. 16, in a dramatic protest blocking Interstate 94, as the fight to get justice for Jamar Clark escalated. Clark, who is Black, was killed by Minneapolis police. Witnesses agree that he was handcuffed at the time of his murder.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 students gathered at the University of Minnesota (UMN), Nov. 12, to show solidarity with student protesters at the University of Missouri. The rally, organized by the UMN Black Student Union, consisted of speakers representing a number of different student and community groups, including Whose Diversity?, Students for Justice in Palestine, and APIs for Equity and Diversity.

Minneapolis, MN – Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Political Secretary Steff Yorek gave the following statement to Fight Back! regarding the Nov. 13 evening events in Paris.

Minneapolis, MN – Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) delivered a letter addressed to University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and the university's board of regents, Nov. 6, which put forward student concerns over the sexual harassment and assaults that have been perpetrated by members of the university's own administration.

_ Calls on U of MN to honor boycott of Israel, drop the charges against protesters_

Minneapolis, MN – Responding to a campaign of condemnations from University of Minnesota officialdom, the Anti-War Committee (AWC) issued a statement Nov. 10 standing by the actions of protesters at last week’s Law School lecture by Moshe Halbertal, who they call a “war crimes apologist.” Criticisms were hurled at the group after protesters denied Halbertal a platform by interrupting his presentation some two dozen times, with facts about Israeli atrocities, Halbertal’s public record in defense of IDF actions and demands that the university honor the international boycott of Israel.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 20 immigrant rights protesters marched into Wells Fargo Bank on Nicollet Avenue and Lake Street on Nov. 7. They held signs inside the bank then presented their demands to a regional bank manager. They demanded that Wells Fargo divest all money from the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group.

Minneapolis, MN – On Nov. 3, a panel of three speakers at the University of Minnesota analyzed the phenomenon of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and how his anti-immigrant rhetoric affects the struggle for immigrant rights.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 50 supporters of Palestine shut down a Nov. 3 lecture by Hebrew University professor Moshe Halbertal, a co-author of the Israeli military code of ethics, entitled “Protecting Civilians: Moral Challenges of Asymmetric Warfare.” Organized by the MN Anti-War Committee and endorsed by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP UMN), the protesters prevented Halbertal from presenting his defense of IDF conduct in last summer’s Gaza War. Three of the protesters were arrested, as police tried to maintain what they called “decorum.”

Minneapolis, MN – Students and community members gathered on the Northrop Mall at the University of Minnesota on an unseasonably warm day, Nov. 2, to take some swings at three homemade piñatas that bore a strong resemblance to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of Twin Cities area peace groups gathered Oct. 31 for an emergency protest against the sending of U.S. Special Forces troops to Syria. The announcement of the sending of these troops was made Oct. 30. The troop deployment represents an escalation of aggression by the U.S. in Syria and Iraq.

Minneapolis, MN – On Oct. 24, 30 people gathered in Minneapolis to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the Chinese revolution. In an event sponsored by Freedom Road Socialist Organization, they celebrated by watching the movie Founding of a Party, which was followed by a lively discussion about the meaning and importance of the socialist revolution in China.

Minneapolis, MN – On Oct. 13 protesters packed the Board of Education located on West Broadway Avenue in the heart of North Minneapolis. The board was meeting and taking public comment on the controversial Reading Horizons curriculum, that the district recently paid $1.2 million for, to help “close the achievement gap” in literacy between students of color and their white peers. Protest from educators and community members erupted last month upon distribution of materials and trainings, when the curriculum was found to include content that was inundated with racism and male chauvinism.

Minneapolis, MN – Chanting, “What do we want? Raises and respect. When do we want it? Now!” about 20 university workers held signs and protested inside the Board of Regents meeting, Oct. 9.

Minneapolis, MN – To mark 14 years of endless war, Minneapolis and Saint Paul area peace groups will hold events on Oct. 7.

Minneapolis, MN – On the night of Sept. 29, dozens of educators, students, parents and community members disrupted the Minneapolis Board of Education. Tensions between the community and the board have been rising over the recent adoption of a new $1.2 million district-wide racist reading curriculum for elementary age students, sold by the Utah-based company Reading Horizons.

Minneapolis, MN – Dear Gaza, an open air concert and block party drew hundreds of people here, , Sept. 26, and raised $20,000 in medical relief for Gaza.