St. Paul, MN – About 500 Muslims, mainly from the Twin Cities Somali community, rallied at the state capitol here, March 18, to protest the anti-Islam congressional hearing presided over by New York Republican Representative Peter King.

St. Paul, MN – Minnesota Republicans are pushing legislation that would make it a crime for people on public assistance to have more $20 in cash in their pockets any given month. This represents a change from their initial proposal, which banned them from having any money at all.

St. Paul, MN – Nearly 2000 people gathered at the state capitol building here, Feb. 26, to support the fight of Wisconsin workers. The noon rally brought out a broad spectrum of trade unions, including the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees and Teamsters. Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and other progressive organizations also participated.

St. Paul, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee stood in the hall outside the hearing room of the state House Health and Human Services Finance Committee, Feb. 23, holding signs reading, “No cuts to poor and working people,” and “Tax the rich.” As the representatives walked into the hearing room, the protesters insisted they take fliers with the WRC statement on the Governor Mark Dayton’s budget proposal.

St. Paul, MN – As the 2011 Minnesota state legislative session came to order on Jan. 4, the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout chanted on the front steps of the capitol, “Hey politicians, here's the fix! Tax the rich!” This year, the right-wing Republicans have control of the Minnesota State House and Senate. They have vowed not to raise taxes on the wealthy and will make cuts to balance the budget.

Beat Back the Republican Attacks

St Paul, MN – Protesters will assemble at the Minnesota State Capitol Building, at 12 noon, Jan. 4 to say no to attacks on programs that serve poor and working people. Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, the action will coincide with the opening of the Minnesota State legislature.

Saint Paul, MN – “Everywhere we go, people want to know, who we are, so we tell them. We are the union, the mighty mighty union…” Over 50 nurses clad in red sang verse after verse as they marched on the picket line in front of Bethesda Hospital the morning of June 10 in the largest nursing strike in U.S. history. Starting at 7:00 a.m., 12,000 Twin Cities nurses went on strike for patient safety and to retain their pensions. Bethesda Hospital, a small hospital near the State Capitol in Saint Paul, has a nursing staff of about 150 who were taking turns on the picket line during the 24-hour strike.

St. Paul, MN – A packed house listened to labor leaders, religious leaders, politicians and nurses on the night before the largest nursing strike in U.S. history is set to take place on June 10, when 12,000 Twin Cities nurses in the Minnesota Nursing Association (MNA) are prepared to go out on strike starting at 7:00 a.m.

St. Paul, MN – On May 18, as news reports stated that 1000 U.S. military deaths had occurred in Afghanistan, over 70 people joined a Saint Paul protest at the office of U.S. Representative Betty McCollum to demand that she vote against a $33 billion request for additional funding for the war in Afghanistan.

St. Paul, MN – “You need a permit to do that,” the cops told the group of women writing last-minute posters outside Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s office, May 17. The posters were in preparation for the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout event on the last day of the Minnesota legislative session.