Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people came out for a protest against islamophobia and racism, Feb. 17, in response to the killing of three Muslim students last week. Gathered at a busy intersection in the heart of the local Somali community, near the University of Minnesota campus, they held signs and chanted for an hour, as temperatures dropped below zero.
Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 16 a follow-up rally was organized by faculty on University of Minnesota's Minneapolis (UMN) campus to demand immediate action from UMN's administration in implementing the eight demands raised by Whose Diversity? during its occupation of Morrill Hall last week. At the rally, faculty expressed support for the 13 members of Whose Diversity? who were arrested in the building occupation and demanded that all charges against them be dropped. There were around 150 people in attendance at the rally, with an even representation of faculty, graduate instructors and undergraduates.
Protest vigil and live stream speaking event planned for Feb. 13
Minneapolis, MN – Protests, speaking events and fundraisers are being organized across the U.S. as part of the growing national movement to win justice for Rasmea Odeh. Two events will take place in the Twin Cities on Friday, Feb. 13. First is the weekly Palestine Solidarity Vigil to Demand Justice for Rasmea, 4:30 to 5:30 at the intersection of Summit and Snelling Avenues in Saint Paul, followed by a speech by Rasmea Odeh, via live stream, which will be at the center of an event running from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis, MN – Sabry Wazwaz reported back to over 100 people, Feb. 7, at Karmel West from his month long trip to Palestine this winter, where he did interviews for his upcoming documentary. Wazwaz is an outspoken leader in both the Palestinian American community and the Anti-War Committee. He is an advocate for a free Palestine and against U.S.-backed Israeli apartheid. Wazwaz explained his motivation for his trip as a desire to “wake people up about what’s really going on” in Palestine and to counter the lies of U.S. mainstream media.
Minneapolis, MN – More than fifty students marched from Coffman Union to Morrill Hall today at noon. They marched to Morrill Hall, the administration building, to support a group of students that had started a sit-in in President Kaler’s office in Morrill. The students have a list of 8 demands and they have pledged to maintain the sit-in until President Kaler negotiates with them or they are arrested and removed.
Minneapolis, MN – Against a backdrop of the new U.S. war in Iraq, the bombing of Syria, the continued U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan and almost daily reports of U.S. drone attacks, a round of spring anti-war events has been called by a coalition of groups.
Minneapolis, MN – Attorneys with Black Lives Matter Minneapolis obtained a copy of a warrant Feb. 2 from the Bloomington Police Department that grants police permission to seize private information from the Facebook account of well-known community activist Nick Espinosa.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered January 30 to celebrate the life of Twin Cities activist Gabriel Johnson-Ortiz, who passed away Jan. 17 at age 34 after a four-and-a-half-year struggle with brain cancer. His passing is a great loss to his family, friends and comrades from a variety of progressive political and cultural movements.
Minneapolis, MN – Organizers of the Feb. 9 through 15 national week of actions to defend Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh say that activists in cities across the U.S. are committing to take action and momentum around the case is growing. Odeh was convicted of trumped-up immigration charges last year, and is facing up to 10 years of prison and deportation at her sentencing in Detroit, March 12.
St. Paul, MN – Kurt Daudt, a politician who has made a specialty out of bashing low-income people, was elected speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Jan.6, by the incoming Republican majority. Outside the House chambers, where the election took place, members of the Welfare Rights Committee loudly demanded that welfare grants be doubled and that aid should be extended to all in need.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 200 high school students from Patrick Henry, Hopkins and South High Schools came together here, Dec. 7, to protest racist police killings and the failure to indict the cops who killed Mike Brown and Eric Gardner. The students started at the steps of the Minneapolis Public Library with speeches and spoken word.
Minneapolis, MN – The Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee marked the upcoming International Human Rights Day on Dec. 6 with a community march to highlight the U.S. government’s abysmal human rights record. Chants and speakers addressed the recent grand jury decisions in Ferguson and New York, the U.S. role in funding war and destruction abroad and the consequences of these policies here at home on social spending. Protesters rallied at Bryant Square Park, marched on Lake Street and then had a concluding rally at Karmel West.
Minneapolis, MN – About 300 people took to the streets here Dec. 4 to demand justice for Eric Gardner, Mike Brown, Terrence Franklin and others killed by racist police. Massive demonstrations against police terror are taking place in cities across the U.S.
Minneapolis, MN – About 500 students participated in a sit-in at of South High School to protest the grand jury verdict that failed to indict the cop who killed Mike Brown. The sit-in wrapped around the corridors of the entire first floor of the building.
Minneapolis, MN – On Nov. 25, more than 500 students and youth gathered in front of the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Memorial Union to demand justice for Michael Brown and all other victims of police brutality.
Minneapolis, MN – An estimated 5000 people marched here, Nov. 25, in the wake of the Ferguson, Missouri grand jury decision to not indict the cop who murdered Mike Brown.
Minneapolis, MN – Students led a march of more than 200 people here Nov. 20 to demand justice for the 43 disappeared student activists from the rural teacher’s college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero in México. Students came from several area colleges and high schools and many community members marched too.
Minneapolis, MN – 50 students and community members gathered for a vigil Nov. 11 in solidarity with the 43 disappeared – and likely murdered – Mexican student activists in Ayotzinapa. The vigil was in front of Coffman Student Union at the University of Minnesota (UMN). Students held signs with the names and pictures of each of the 43 missing students, along with a banner that read, “Say no to repression!” in several languages.