Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By Kelly O'Brien

Minneapolis, MN – Across the country, student activists are promoting a national day of action for education rights on March 1. While administrators make six figure salaries and receive bonus payouts, students’ tuition and fees are rising to unprecedented heights and staff and faculty continue to be laid off. Students are paying more for fewer services and less education. Students, staff and faculty nationwide are uniting for transparency in administration and spending and the right to an affordable education.

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By Kelly O'Brien

Harry Schmidt speaking at CD release benefit against FBI repression

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered here at the 400 Bar, Feb. 18 for a benefit show and CD release party, to support anti-war and international solidarity activists who are facing FBI repression. Sponsored by the MN Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), Queer Student Cultural Center, Anti-War Committee (AWC) and Women Student Activist Collective (WSAC), attendees stood in solidarity with the 24 activists who were raided by the FBI and subpoenaed to a grand jury investigating ‘material support for terrorism.’

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By staff

Harry Schmidt speaking at CD release benefit against FBI repression

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered here at the 400 Bar, Feb. 18 for a benefit show and CD release party, to support anti-war and international solidarity activists who are facing FBI repression. Sponsored by the MN Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), Queer Student Cultural Center, Anti-War Committee (AWC) and Women Student Activist Collective (WSAC), attendees stood in solidarity with the 24 activists who were raided by the FBI and subpoenaed to a grand jury investigating ‘material support for terrorism.’

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By staff

Protest against "Secure Communities" deportation program, Feb. 18, 2012

Minneapolis, MN – On February 18 more than 50 immigrants and supporters protested against a new deportation program imposed in Minnesota. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) imposed the controversial “Secure Communities” deportation program in all 87 Minnesota counties on February 7. The protesters gathered at People’s Plaza in downtown Minneapolis to denounce the program and call for an end to deportations. Over a million people have been deported in the last three years leaving massive numbers of separated children and families, largely as a result of deportation programs like Secure Communities.

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By Brad Sigal

_Immigrant rights groups plan protest _

No More Deportations campaign protest at MN Capitol, May 2011

Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 7, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that they imposed the highly controversial “Secure Communities” deportation program on all 87 counties in Minnesota. In response, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc) announced a protest on Saturday, Feb. 18 at noon. The protest will start at People’s Plaza (300 S 6th Street, Minneapolis) and then march across the street to the Hennepin County Detention Center, one of the jails where this deportation program is now activated. Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, the controversial figure who is in charge of the Hennepin County jail, pushed hard for Minnesota to participate in Secure Communities.

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By staff

Feb 4 protest demands "Hands of Iran."

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 people gathered here Feb 4 to demonstrate against the growing danger of U.S. war on Iran. The Minneapolis event was a part of an international day of protest that included anti-war actions in over 50 cities in the U.S. and around the world.

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By Kelly O'Brien

Protest against NDAA at Obama campaign headquarters, Feb. 3

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 people rallied here, Feb. 3, as a part of the National Day of Protest against the provision of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allows for indefinite detention without trial. The protest occurred outside the Obama campaign headquarters. President Obama signed this unconstitutional bill into law Dec. 31. According to Anh Pham of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), “This law allows the government to continue to oppress anyone who doesn’t agree with them.”

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By staff

_Stop FBI and grand jury repression _

Supporters of grand jury resister Jordan Halliday in front of the Federal Court

Minneapolis, MN – Supporters of grand jury resister Jordan Halliday gathered in front of the Federal Courts Building here, Jan 27. On Jan. 10, Jordan began serving out a ten-month prison sentence for refusing to appear before a federal grand jury investigating animal rights activists under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The protest in Minneapolis was part of a national day of actions to raise awareness about Halliday’s case, the dangers of FBI repression and grand jury injustice. Attending the protest in Minneapolis were Sarah Martin and Jess Sundin, grand jury resisters in the case of 23 international solidarity activists under investigation for supposed material support for terrorism.

#MinneapolisMN #InJusticeSystem #FBI #grandJury #JordanHalliday #greenScare #PoliticalRepression

By staff

Twin Cities protest demands "Hands of Iran and Syria"

Minneapolis, MN – In response to growing war threats against Iran and Syria, over 50 people responded on Jan. 18 to a call to turn out to a weekly peace vigil in the Twin Cities.

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By staff

MLK day rally at Minneapolis City Hall

Minneapolis, MN – Organized by Occupy the Hood, about 250 people joined a Martin Luther King Day march here, Jan. 16. Marchers assembled at one of the city’s largest homeless shelters, the Salvation Army Harbor Light, and proceeded to City Hall for a rally.

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By mick

Jess Sundin of the Anti War Committee

Minneapolis, MN – Jess Sundin, a leader of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee, condemned U.S. war moves towards Iran, Jan. 15

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By staff

Protest demands veto of NDAA.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people jointed a Dec. 23 picket line here, at the Obama campaign headquarters, to demand the President veto the National Defense Authorization act, which contains provisions that allow indefinite detention without trial. The protest was organized by Occupy Minneapolis and local anti-war groups.

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By staff

_McDonald granted furlough to work, denied request to return to college _

Minneapolis, MN – Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald appeared in court, Dec. 20 for a hearing where it was decided that her trial will begin on April 30, 2012, instead of the original start date of Jan. 9. Judge Moreno also ruled that, given the delayed trial date, McDonald will be permitted furlough time to seek employment and, once she finds a job, to go to work. The defense argued that McDonald should be granted furlough time to return to continue her schooling at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, given that she has been a “model citizen” in the months since her release from jail. However, Judge Moreno ruled against this request. The prosecution opposed both work and educational furloughs for McDonald, although they did not cite any specific rationalization for their position.

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By staff

Anti war protest on People's Plaza, Dec. 17.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 60 people joined a Minneapolis anti-war protest on Dec. 17 to speak out against the continuing U.S. war in Afghanistan and U.S. military interventions around the world.

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By mick

Jess Sundin speaks at December 15 Minneapolis CSFR forum

Minneapolis, MN – Billed as a report back from the first national conference of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), more than 50 people gathered for here Dec. 15 for an exciting event that featured veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes, a moving message from Noor Elashi and an important speech by anti-war leader Jess Sundin.

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By Jess Sundin

Minneapolis, MN – About a dozen people from Occupy MN/Minneapolis interrupted a Hennepin County Commissioners Board meeting Dec. 13, demanding an end to county attacks on the Occupy movement and the People's Plaza.

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By staff

Ben Painter and Melissa Hill. Both have been "trespassed" at People's Plaza

Minneapolis, MN – About 100 supporters and participants of Occupy Minneapolis gathered at People’s Plaza here, Dec. 11. They hung signs advancing the demands of the 99%, using clothespins on ropes tied to plaza light poles, pounding staked signs into frozen planters and taping their messages onto poles and benches.

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By Brad Sigal

Mitin para iniciar ocupacion de la casa de Bobby Hull en el sur de Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN – El 6 de diciembre, fue un día de acción nacional a favor de aquellas familias en peligro de perder sus casas debido a la ejecución hipotecaria. Para ello más de 100 personas se congregaron frente a la casa de Bobby Hull en la 3712 Columbus Ave. Sur, Minneapolis, y anunciaron el inicio de una ocupación de su casa para garantizar que el banco US Bank no le saque de su casa.

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By Brad Sigal

Rally at start of occupation of Bobby Hull's home, Dec. 6, 2011

Minneapolis, MN – On Dec. 6, a national day of action for occupying foreclosed homes, more than 100 people rallied here in front of Bobby Hull’s house at 3712 Columbus Avenue. They announced the start of an occupation of his home to prevent US Bank from kicking Hull and his family out of their home.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – Supporters of Occupy Minneapolis rallied here Dec. 6 to protest this morning’s raid by Hennepin County Sheriff. They vowed to continue the struggle.

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