Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

minneapolismn

By staff

_Anti-war, international solidarity activists interrupt his speech in Minneapolis _

Protesters at Eric Holder visit to Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder got a cold reception in Minneapolis May 27, where the Committee to Stop FBI Repression dogged him all day about FBI and grand jury attacks on anti-war and international solidarity activists. 100 people gathered outside his event at the University of Minnesota. The shouts of protesters outside could be heard inside, “Hey Holder, hear our fury! Stop the FBI, end the grand jury!”

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By Brad Sigal

Mario Cololly, hunger striker for justice in retail cleaning

Minneapolis, MN – On May 21, four retail cleaning workers and four of their supporters started a hunger strike to demand justice. The goal of the hunger strike is to get Cub Foods management to start negotiating with their retail cleaning workers for better wages and working conditions. The hunger strike was kicked off with a large rally at noon. Later in the afternoon, a large group of Danzantes joined the protest and performed.

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By Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee

Carlos Montes en conferencia de prensa despues de la redada en su casa

Lucha y Resiste esta circulando el siguiente comunicado del Comite por los derechos de inmigrantes en Minnesota (MIRAc) denunciando la redada en la casa de Carlos Montes. Pedimos que otras organizaciones tambien manden mensajes de apoyo al stopfbi.net.

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By Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee

Carlos Montes at rally defending him after raid on his home

Fight Back News is circulating the following statement from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc) on the brutal raid conducted at the home of Carlos Montes. We urge other organizations to send messages of support to stopfbi.net

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By staff

Mick Kelly, Jess Sundin, and Bruce Nestor at May 18 press conference

Minneapolis, MN – People crowded into the Anti-War Committee office May 18 when the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) revealed a [cache of FBI papers](http://www.stopfbi.net/2011/5/18/secret-fbi-documents-reveal-attack-democratic-rights-anti-war-and-international-solidarity) left behind after a raid on an apartment in September 2010. The documents include interrogation questions for agents to use on activists and details of the weaponry used for the Sept. 24, 2010 raid. Since that day, 23 people – all involved in peace and international solidarity movements – were subpoenaed to a grand jury in Chicago. All have refused to testify.

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By staff

Anh Pham and Sarah Martin of the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression

Minneapolis, MN – Trade unionists, students, community and anti-war activists filled the hall at Walker Church, April 29, to celebrate International Workers Day. The event, titled, “Celebrate May Day: Standing Up In the Face of Repression,” was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

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By mick

Puppet of FBI agent at May Day Minneapolis May Day parade

Minneapolis, MN – Members and supporters of the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression participated in the Heart of the Beast Annual Mayday Parade and festival, receiving an enthusiastic response. Committee members carried a giant puppet of an FBI agent and dressed as witches, symbolizing the FBI and grand jury witch hunt that is being waged against anti-war and international solidarity activists. The parade is a longstanding community event.

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By staff

Protest against bombing of Libya.

St. Paul, MN – Peace groups here organized a special demonstration at the weekly Wednesday vigil at the Lake Street-Marshall Avenue Bridge, April 27, to oppose the ongoing and escalating U.S. and NATO intervention into Libya. “We are not there for humanitarian reasons but for control of Libya's oil and its strategic location in North Africa and the Middle East which has been rocked with popular uprisings,” said organizers of the bridge vigil.

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By staff

Grace Kelly of Students for a Democratic Society speaking at protest in front of

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people picketed and carried banners outside the FBI building here, April 19, to show support for activists still facing repression from the FBI. Since September 24, 2010, when the FBI raided people’s homes and the office of the Anti-War Committee, there has been continued FBI harassment of the peace movement. Anti-war and international solidarity activists face the threat of renewed calls to the grand jury or indictment for ‘material support for terrorism.’

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By Brad Sigal

Minneapolis, MN – On April 7, four Latino and immigrant leaders spoke against political repression on a panel at the University of Minnesota. They spoke out in solidarity with the 23 anti-war activists facing FBI and grand jury repression and told their stories of solidarity in the face of repression.

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By staff

Anh Pham at protest against U.S. intervention in Libya.

Minneapolis, MN – On one of the first warm spring afternoons here, over 50 people joined an anti-war protest on April 2 to demonstrate against the U.S. war on Libya.

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By staff

Sarah Martin at March 25 anti war protest.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 40 people joined an emergency protest here March 25 to show opposition to the U.S.-led bombing of Libya.

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By staff

Jess Sundin, of the Anti War Committee

Minneapolis, MN – Students and members of the community gathered here, March 24 on the University of Minnesota campus, for an event called ‘At home and abroad: Women under attack and fighting back.’ The program, sponsored by the Anti War Committee and the Women’s Student Activist Collective, was during with women's history month and addressed the current FBI attacks on women international solidarity activists and their families, how war disproportionately affects women and the right to be in solidarity with women in war-torn parts of the world.

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By staff

Tracy Molm, leading chants at protest against war on Libya

Minneapolis, MN – About 75 protesters demanding an end to the U.S.-led war on Libya gathered at the Federal Building here, March 21. The demonstration was initiated by Women Against Military Madness and endorsed by the Anti-War Committee, the Twin Cities Peace Campaign and others.

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By staff

Making signs for March 19 Twin Cities anti war rally.

Minneapolis, MN – Anti-war events will be held in over 50 cities across the U.S. on March 19, calling for an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, an end to the continued U.S. occupation of Iraq and for a redirection of resources from war to human needs.

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By Kim DeFranco

March 17 press conference

Minneapolis, MN – In a packed press conference March 17, retail cleaning workers with the Center of Workers United in Struggle (CTUL, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha) and their allies called upon Cub Foods to put an end to retaliation, violent reactions to peaceful protests and to meet with cleaning workers. The workers are demanding that Cub establish a code of conduct ensuring fair wages and working conditions for all workers who clean their stores.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people came together here March 8 to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event was sponsored by Freedom Road Socialist Organization and featured women who are in the forefront of the fight against repression and reaction.

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By staff

Women Stand Up Against Repression

Sarah Martin, Jess Sundin, Luce Guillen Givins, Sarah Jane Olson, and Tracy Molm

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people came together here March 8 to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event was sponsored by Freedom Road Socialist Organization and featured women who are in the forefront of the fight against repression and reaction.

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By Grace Kelley

Activist speaking at University of Minnesota Rally

Minneapolis, MN – Students for a Democratic Society at the U of M held a rally, March 2, in front of the student union to demand no tuition hikes, no staff layoffs and shared governance for all members of the university community. It was part of a day of action called by Students for a Democratic Society nationally. Despite extreme temperatures, 50 students, staff and faculty attended, chanting, “Fund education, not administration,” and “They say cut back? We say fight back!”

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By Brad Sigal

Cleaning workers protest firing of organizer inside Cub Foods store

Minneapolis, MN – On March 2, Mario Colloly Torres was fired from his retail cleaning job at Cub Foods. Torres is a leader in the campaign for justice for retail cleaning workers. The campaign is organized by the Center for Workers United in Struggle or Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) in Spanish. CTUL is organizing low paid, mostly immigrant workers at major retail stores such as Cub, Lunds & Byerly's, Target, and Supervalu to fight for better wages, working conditions, and the right to organize.

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