News and Views from the People's Struggle
St. Paul, MN – On December 29, 60 Palestine solidarity activists rallied at the weekly Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) Free Palestine bannering. Participants chanting, “Hey Netanyahu what do you say, how many kids did you kill today” and “Resistance is justified, when Palestine is occupied!” filled the intersection along with the unending honks of motorists.
Saint Paul, MN – The Free Palestine Coalition held a rally and disrupted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s Christmas Eve Party on December 24. Over 1000 protesters rallied along the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge, then marched to the governor’s residence to demand that Walz and the Minnesota State Board of Investment divest from the ongoing siege of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 100 protesters gathered outside of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office on Wednesday evening, December 20, calling for Senator Klobuchar to vote no on a bill that would send billions in military funding to Israel and Ukraine, as well as implement anti-immigrant policies that would have disastrous effects on immigrants in the U.S.
Protesters gathered waving Palestinian flags and signs that read “Klobuchar: We say no to U.S. aid to Israel! We will not pay for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.”
Latifah Moss, a member of MIRAC connected the fight for liberation in Palestine and the fight for immigrants in the U.S., saying: “MIRAC continues to stand in solidarity with immigrants and demand that our elected officials do what is right. In a time when we are watching families be torn apart by war, genocide, Border Patrol, and harmful anti-immigrant laws all over the world, we say no more separating families here in the U.S. at the border or overseas with U.S. money aiding war.”
The bill, which will now be voted on in January, is still in negotiations. Some legislators have insisted on the addition of anti-immigrant policies that would dismantle key asylum protections, allow for faster deportations with fewer protections, and close legal immigration pathways for immigrants from several countries.
Anti-War Committee speaker Meredith Aby-Keirstead spoke about the U.S. funding wars across the world. She stated that funding to both Ukraine and Israel should be stopped.
After speakers, activists picketed outside of the office. Chants for the end of deportations, no border walls, and no more money for war.
The protest was initiated by Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee and was endorsed by MN Anti-War Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, The Free Palestine Coalition, Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, and other organizations.
#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #International #Palestine #AntiWar #MIRAC #MNAWC
Minneapolis, MN – On December 18, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee held a press conference to proudly announce the installation of four billboards in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. These billboards will serve as a visual call to action, reinforcing the committee's demands: “Divest Minnesota from Israel” and “End U.S. aid to Israel.”
Strategically placed, these billboards will be a powerful tool to amplify the Anti-War Committee's demands that Minnesota divest from Israel and for the U.S. to end all support for Israel's apartheid regime.
Minneapolis, MN – On December 14, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) led a caravan of over 40 cars with the Free Palestine Coalition to draw attention to the people of Palestine facing genocidal violence during evening rush hour.
Protesters decorated their cars with signs and Palestinian flags. Half of them drove slowly on Interstate-94 between Minneapolis and Saint Paul while the other half drove slowly south to Lake Street, then to Hennepin Avenue and to Franklin Avenue. At the same time, protesters held banners and Palestinian flags over I-94 on the 25th Avenue bridge near Augsburg University in Minneapolis and on the Lexington Avenue bridge in Saint Paul.
Edina, MN – On the evening of Monday, December 11, 300 community members gathered for a rally outside the Edina School Board meeting at the Edina Community Center, denouncing the suspension of Muslim Somali students who led a pro-Palestine protest on October 26.
The school issued false claims of antisemitism against the students for using the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” during a walkout protesting the ongoing genocide by the Israeli apartheid state. “From the river to the sea” is a call for Palestinian liberation from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It is not antisemitic to oppose apartheid and genocide. Monday’s protest began with that same chant.
Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of December 11, eight Palestine protesters were arrested by Minnesota State Patrol while driving on Interstate-94 in Minneapolis.
Out of the eight protesters, five were released overnight. The next afternoon, supporters with the Free Palestine Coalition gathered across from the jail where the rest were being held to demand their release and that all charges be dropped. The remaining three arrestees were released during that rally.
Minnetonka, MN – On December 6, over 80 people turned out in Minnetonka next to Interstate 394 to protest during rush hour. The Free Palestine Coalition organized the protest outside Representative Dean Phillips’ office, Minnesota Congressional representative for the 3rd District, to draw attention to his positions on Palestine.
Saint Paul, MN – On November 19, the MN Anti-War Committee held a rally on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River that was attended by over 3000 Minnesotans. After an hour of holding signs and chanting on both sides of the bridge, the protest marched to Minnesota Governor Walz’ Eastcliff Mansion in Saint Paul to interrupt his Sunday football viewing and demand that he divest Minnesota from apartheid Israel.
St. Paul, MN – 10,000 people marched on the Minnesota State Capitol, November 11, in the first march organized by the newly formed Free Palestine Coalition. Protesters gathered at Cathedral Hill Park and then marched to the State Capitol in a march titled “All out for Gaza.”
Minneapolis, MN – On October 22, 5000 people rallied at Loring Park to demand an end to Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Organizers said the goal of the protest was to show the level of support in the Twin Cities for Palestinians in Gaza who are struggling to stay alive after the Israeli government cut off electricity and water to the 2 million people in the Gaza Strip.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 15,000 demonstrators shut down the main arteries of Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood on Sunday, October 15, marching in solidarity with Palestine. The crowd was overwhelmingly Palestinian, joined by the city's Somali community, anti-Zionist Jews, and members of all swathes of the multinational working class.
St. Paul, MN – On Friday, October 13, 70 Palestine solidarity activists answered the Palestinian Resistance’s call for a global day of action by attending the weekly Justice for Palestine vigil hosted by Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) on a busy intersection near Macalester College. The pouring rain did not stop protesters from coming to express their outrage at the U.S. funding and unconditional support for the horrific, genocidal war being waged by Israel on Gaza, Palestine.
St. Paul, MN – On October 12, the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition rallied at the site of a new ForwardEdge ASIC LLC office. ForwardEdge is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, the world’s largest defense contractor. Amid the horrific Israeli bombing of Gaza, around 150 protesters gathered in a show of solidarity with Palestine and to demand “No Minnesota money for weapons manufacturers.”
Minneapolis, MN – On October 9, 500 people participated in an emergency rally outside the downtown office of Senator Amy Klobuchar to demand an immediate end to U.S. aid to Israel, following renewed Israeli military strikes on Gaza. The crowd included a sizable turnout from the Palestinian and Muslim communities. After the rally, protesters marched through downtown Minneapolis with a sea of Palestinian flags.