Roseville, MN – This may be seen as the week that Republican candidate for governor Tom Emmer’s campaign imploded. After making a statement on the campaign trail calling for restaurant workers who earn tips to get a wage cut so that restaurant owners can earn more money and then bizarrely stating that many tip-earning servers make over $100,000 a year, a firestorm erupted. Emmer spent the next week trying to backpedal and avoid the visceral anger from working-class Minnesotans at his out of touch, anti-worker views.

Going into overdrive to do damage control as his election campaign spun out of control, Emmer first worked a day as a server in a restaurant to show he’s not out of touch with working class people (while recording the stunt for his campaign website). When that didn’t calm the storm, Emmer called a ‘town hall meeting’ with restaurant workers on July 14 at Ol’ Mexico restaurant in Roseville, supposedly to listen to their concerns and to try to convince them he doesn’t really want to cut their wages.

With all the media filming, one restaurant worker after another talked powerfully about how difficult it is for them to get by on the paltry wages and tips they earn and how a wage cut would be devastating. Whenever Emmer spoke, he was booed and laughed at. It was a rare moment, when the mass media let the righteous anger of working class people come through clearly.

Then an hour into the forum, immigrant rights activist Rachel Lang challenged Emmer about his anti-immigrant positions, ending her statement by saying, “I’ve got a tip for you – this is not Arizona!” Earlier in the campaign, Emmer created a firestorm of controversy by saying on an interview with Minnesota Public Radio that he thought Arizona’s anti-immigrant law SB1070 was “a wonderful first step.” This May, Emmer’s closest allies in the state legislature introduced an SB1070 copycat bill in Minnesota. In past years Emmer has backed bills to refuse prenatal care to pregnant women who are undocumented and to make Minnesota an English-only state.

Just as Lang finished confronting Emmer on his anti-immigrant positions, another immigrant rights activist who has gone by the name of Robert Erickson walked up to Emmer and said, “I have a tip for you too Emmer!” as he dumped 2000 pennies on the table in front of him. The forum erupted into chaos as the startled candidate jumped out of his seat and then abruptly ended the forum early, as his security shoved the protester out the back door.

The local media then investigated the now-infamous “penny protester,” and discovered that ‘Robert Erickson’ was a pseudonym used by Nick Espinosa, an activist with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc). He created the pseudonym last year to get on the speakers list at an anti-immigrant Tea Party rally. At that rally he ‘punked’ the Tea Partiers by starting out giving what sounded like an anti-immigrant speech, then turning it into a rallying cry against the European immigrants who came to this continent illegally 500 years ago and carried out genocide against Native Americans. Espinosa has used the pseudonym for several other protests and guerrilla theater actions since then.

With the crush of media coverage of the ‘penny protest,’ Espinosa revealed his true identity and told his personal story of his father being deported back to Ecuador when he was 15. He then challenged Tom Emmer to come do a forum in the heart of the Latino immigrant community to explain the anti-immigrant positions he has taken over his years in the state legislature and now as a candidate for governor. Not surprisingly, Emmer refused.

This summer MIRAc initiated the Boycott Arizona-MN (BAM!) campaign, which has targeted Arizona companies and has also targeted Emmer’s candidacy, since he said Arizona’s SB1070 law is “a wonderful first step.” Members of MIRAc joined with other immigrant rights activists to confront Emmer when his campaign marched in the Cinco de Mayo parade in West St Paul just days after he praised SB1070. MIRAc and the BAM! campaign again protested against Emmer on June 16 when he spoke at a fundraiser in Columbia Heights. After the ‘penny protest’ on July 14, one local TV reporter asked Espinosa, “Do you plan to continue following his campaign and doing things like this everywhere he goes?” Espinosa responded, “Absolutely. Until the election, as long as he holds these extremist anti-immigrant positions, we’ll be there for you Emmer.”

#RosevilleMN #MIRAc #RobertErickson #SB1070 #TomEmmer #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCommittee

Bloomington, MN – El lunes 23 de noviembre por la mañana, un grupo de activistas pro-inmigrante organizó una protesta al estilo del teatro popular para denunciar de forma dramática el racismo y la hipocresía de las redadas en contra de los inmigrantes latinos, separando familias y comunidades.

En una muestra visual muy dramática, nueve personas vestidos en uniforme de prisionero de color naranja y con capucha negra cubriendo sus cabezas llegaron a la entrada del edificio de ICE exigiendo que los oficiales de ICE les deportaran. Veinticinco personas les acompañaron para exigir que los oficiales de ICE les revisaran sus documentos. Anunciaron que no eran inmigrantes latinos sino descendientes de inmigrantes europeos admitiendo que sus ancestros vinieron a este continente ilegalmente y cometieron genocidio en contra del pueblo indígena aquí mientras robaron sus tierras. Debido a eso, exigieron que ICE les deportaran.

Los oficiales de ICE y las policías allí parecieron confundidos, y formaron una línea para bloquear la puerta del edificio para que los 'prisioneros' no entraran para ser deportados a los países Europeas de donde vinieron sus familias sin documentación. Los oficiales de ICE rehusaron revisar los documentos de estas personas para asegurar que estaban en este país legalmente. ICE también rehusó mandar un oficial afuera para reunirse con los activistas sobre las olas de inmigrantes europeos que llegaron a este país sin permiso de la población nativo americana que vivía aquí antes de la llegada de los europeos. Estos inmigrantes europeos sacaron los indígenas de sus tierras a través de una cantidad de tratados rotos y a través del genocidio.

Cuando ICE rehusó permitir la entrada al edificio a los activistas para la auto-deportación, respondieron gritando las consignas “depórtenos ya!” y “que harían si éramos latinos?” Eso dejo claro el racismo obvio detrás de la campaña de ICE de deportaciones masivas de inmigrantes latinos de sus casas y lugares de trabajo, mientras ni revisan los documentos de un grupo de gente blanca que llega a su puerta diciendo que son indocumentados en el país y pidiendo la deportación!

La protesta al estilo teatro popular fue organizada por la Coalición de Acción para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes en Minnesota (MIRAc). Esta protesta dio seguimiento a una protesta que MIRAc organizó el 14 de noviembre en que MIRAc protesto en contra de un evento anti-inmigrante “tea party” afuera del capitolio del estado. En aquella protesta, un activista pro-inmigrante que usó el nombre “Robert Erickson” les hizo trampa a la gente anti-inmigrante, metiéndose a su protesta para hablar en su propia protesta en contra del mensaje anti-inmigrante. En lugar de denunciar los inmigrantes latinos, denuncio los conquistadores europeos que colonizaron este continente robando las tierras de los nativo americanos. En la acción este lunes, “Robert Erickson” también hablo, diciendo: “[Cristóbal] Colon es el primer inmigrante ilegal…llego aquí sin papeles y no les pidió permiso a nadie. A través de las políticas de 'limpieza étnica' y exterminación de los indígenas, los peregrinos originales robaron esta tierra de los reales nativo americanos, matando más que 30 millones de los nativos en el peor caso del genocidio en la historia humana.”

Erickson diferenció entre los conquistadores europeos que llegaron aquí por razones ilegitimas para robar tierras y recursos, y los inmigrantes actuales de las Américas quienes salen de sus países debido a las guerras o políticas económicas originadas en los estados unidos que dejan sus países bancarrotas, y que vienen aquí para sobrevivir, no para conquistar. Erickson dijo: “Así como los originales peregrinos beneficiaron de la explotación y de la matanza de los americanos indígenas, los peregrines modernos están beneficiándose económicamente de las ganancias masivas por el robo de las tierras de los mexicanos, centroamericanos y suramericanos indígenas a través de la conquista económica.” Erickson llamó a la gente a que apoyan la lucha del pueblo indígena Dakota para la soberanía y a que apoyan los derechos de los inmigrantes mexicanos, centroamericanos y suramericanos que llegan ahora a los estados unidos.

Video de protesta el 23 de noviembre 2009 afuera del edificio de ICE en Bloomington, MN

#BloomingtonMN #IndigenousPeoples #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #RobertErickson

Bloomington, MN – On Monday morning, Nov. 23, a group of immigrant rights activists staged a guerrilla theater-style protest here to dramatically expose the racism and hypocrisy of immigration raids that target Latino immigrants, tearing apart families and communities.

In a striking visual display, nine people dressed as prisoners in orange jumpsuits and black hoods came to the entrance of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building here demanding to be deported. They were accompanied by 25 supporters who also demanded that ICE check their documents and deport them. They claimed to be not undocumented Latino immigrants, but instead European descendants who were admitting that their ancestors had come to this continent illegally and committed genocide against the Native Americans while stealing their lands. Because of this, they demanded that ICE deport them.

ICE officials and police officers seemed confused and formed a line blocking the door to the building, so the protesters could not enter to turn themselves in for deportation back to the European countries that their ancestors had immigrated from without documents. The ICE officers present refused to check their documents to see if they were in the country legally. The officers also refused a request for an ICE official to come out to meet with them about the waves of European immigrants who came to the U.S. without the permission of the Native Americans, who then drove the original Americans off their land through countless broken treaties and genocidal wars.

When ICE officials refused to let the protesters enter the building to turn themselves in for deportation, the protesters responded by chanted, “Deport us now!” and, “What if we were brown?” This exposed the blatant racism that targets Latino immigrants for deportation in their homes and workplaces, while refusing to even check the documents of white people who show up at ICE's doorstep claiming to be in the country illegally and asking to be deported.

The guerrilla theater-style protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc). It was a follow-up to a protest organized on Nov. 14, in which MIRAc protested against a right-wing anti-immigrant 'Tea Party' outside the Minnesota State Capitol. At that rally an immigrant rights activist going by the name of Robert Erickson tricked the anti-immigrant organizers into letting him speak at their rally. Instead of denouncing Latino immigrants, he denounced the original European colonizers to this continent that stole the land from Native Americans.

At the Nov. 23 action, Robert Erickson spoke again, saying, “[Christopher] Columbus is the original illegal immigrant…he came without papers and didn't ask for permission. Through policies of ethnic cleansing and extermination, the original pilgrims stole this land from the real [Native] Americans, killing more than 30 million [Native] Americans in the worst genocide in human history.”

Erickson differentiated between the European colonizers who came here for illegitimate reasons to steal land and resources and current immigrants from Central and South America who are forced to leave their countries by U.S.-sponsored wars and economic policies that bankrupt their countries, and come here to be able to simply survive, not to conquer.

Erickson said, “Just as the original pilgrims profited from the exploitation and murder of indigenous Americans, modern day pilgrims are reaping massive profits by displacing indigenous Mexicans, Central and South Americans from their rightful homelands through economic conquest.” Erickson encouraged people to support the native Dakota people's struggle for sovereignty and to support the rights of Mexican, Central American and South American immigrants.

Video of MIRAc action at ICE Building,Bloomington, MN,Nov. 23, 2009

#BloomingtonMN #IndigenousPeoples #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #RobertErickson

St. Paul, MN – On November 14, immigrant rights activists in the Twin Cities confronted a “tea party” rally of about 40 right wing anti-immigrant extremists at the Minnesota State Capitol. The anti-immigrant “tea party against amnesty” was in opposition to immigration reform legislation that may be introduced soon in the U.S. Congress, which might provide legalization for some undocumented immigrants. The tea party organizers oppose any legalization and instead support repressive mass deportations of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country. The anti-immigrant extremists gathered to hear speakers and held signs with messages such as “If You Are Illegal Go Home” and “Pack Their Sack and Send Them Back”.

However their message did not go unopposed. They were confronted by about 30 immigrant rights activists standing up for legalization and full equality for all regardless of immigration status. The immigrant rights presence was initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc). Immigrant rights activists chanted during the anti-immigrant speakers, and held banners that said “Stop Raids and Deportations” and “Immigration is Not a Crime”. The immigrant rights protesters clearly frazzled the anti-immigrant organizers throughout their event.

One immigrant rights activist going by the name of Robert Erickson even tricked the anti-immigrant rally organizers into letting him speak at their rally. He began his speech with what sounded like the usual hateful anti-immigrant message. But as he continued, it became clear he was not criticizing Latin American immigrants coming across the Mexican border. Instead he was condemning the European colonizers who came here starting 500 years ago and stole the land from Native Americans while committing genocide against them. At first the anti-immigrant crowd cheered for him until they slowly realized he was not giving their message. Then they fell into silent confusion, as immigrant rights protesters shouted their approval.

Video: “Robert Erickson” Tricks Anti-Immigrant Rally Organizers

The following video clip shows immigrant rights activist “Robert Erickson”, who tricked the anti-immigrant tea party organizers into letting him speak at their November 14 rally. His speech at first sounds like an anti-immigrant speech but then changes the message part way through. This left the anti-immigrant forces confused and speechless, while immigrant rights protesters shouted their approval.

#StPaulMN #antiimmigrantAttacks #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #TeaParty #RobertErickson