Minneapolis, MN — In freezing temperatures with wind whipping around downtown Minneapolis, hundreds of protesters huddled near the front doors of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office to rally against a proposed $170 billion in additional funding for ICE.

With the current administration pouring millions of dollars, thousands of heavily armed agents, and a staggering volume of chemical weaponry into a violent occupation of Minnesota dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” Minnesotans continue to stand their ground against political repression no matter the weather.

The event was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and included speakers from the Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, and the Council on American Islamic Relations Minnesota.

Kelly Thomas from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice said, “Amy Klobuchar has a long history of not doing the right thing. She loves prosecuting Black and brown youth but protecting killer cops. Shame! She says she wants ICE out of Minnesota but isn’t willing to support the Palestinian people as they resist their own occupation and ongoing genocide. Shame!”

Myrka Zambrano of MIRAC said, “It seems that our leaders have forgotten who it is they serve. They do not serve a federal agency, they do not serve a king, they serve us, their constituents. They have a responsibility to us and we will hold them accountable!”

Congressional leaders are currently negotiating a number of funding packages as they attempt to reach a federal budget agreement by January 30 and avoid another government shutdown. As of yet there is no agreement on the funding package for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The negotiation of this particular bill will determine whether additional billions of taxpayer money is allocated to these agencies.

MIRAC is calling on Minnesota’s members of Congress to reject any bill that includes funding for ICE and CBP, demanding “Not one more cent for ICE! Stop the deportations! Legalization for all!

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #ICE #Klobuchar #MIRAC #TCC4J #CAIRMN

Minneapolis, MN- The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) led a historic march of 100,000 people through Minneapolis to honor the life of Renee Nicole Good and to demand ICE out of Minnesota. The gathering was not only a show of grief and anger, but a powerful declaration of collective resistance.

On the morning of January 7, community member Renee Good was observing a raid and was murdered by an ICE agent. Good was known as a devoted mother and a neighbor who believed deeply in protecting her community. On the night of her murder, thousands gathered at a vigil and rally organized by MIRAC to mourn her loss.

In the days that followed, the city became a living memorial. Community members marched through neighborhoods, laid flowers at Goods’s memorial, and mobilized together to demand concrete action to remove ICE from Minneapolis. While city leaders spoke from podiums and expressed solidarity, the people were clear that words alone are not enough, demanding real action. No meaningful steps have yet been taken by most officials to ensure that immigrant communities are protected from further ICE terror.

The January 10 march began with a rally in South Minneapolis in Powderhorn Park, not far from where Renee Good was murdered, and in a neighborhood that is highly organized in its resistance to ICE. Rapid Response groups constantly patrol the neighborhood and let ICE know they are not welcome in the city.

During the march, speakers gave voice to the urgency and moral clarity of the moment as tens of thousands of people continued to pour into the streets for hours on end.

Noah Schumacher of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) told the crowd, “I think we have some demands, am I right?! are here today to demand ICE get out of MN. We are here today to demand an end to the mass deportations of our immigrant siblings. We are here today to demand Governor Walz tell his National Guard forces to stand down and not repress the people’s movement! We are here today to demand justice for Renee Good, a mother and poet who was murdered in cold blood for trying to protect her neighbors. We are here today to demand an end to the blatant attacks on Black and brown people.”

Dieu Do, a member of MIRAC stated, “You don’t send 2000 agents to a state where you’re meeting your quota. You don’t ask for backup when you’re winning a fight. People see through their deception, and they know their days of terrorizing our communities are coming to an end. Because no matter what resources they have, they can’t outlast our movement. We believe in each other. We believe in this fight. And we believe we can win – because we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t.”

U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar addressed the crowd from the sound truck as the march continued to flood Lake Street stating “They came to terrorize, abduct and deport Somali immigrants here in Minnesota…As they lose their minds trying to intimidate us, I see every day, every single day, neighbors trailing these violent people who are trying to intimidate us under the guise of law enforcement and saying no matter what you do to me you can arrest me or not I am going to document your illegal actions. Because if there is no accountability today there will be accountability tomorrow.”

The immigrant rights movement continues to grow with each march, vigil and act of solidarity. As MIRAC continues to fight back against ICE in the streets, the group is also building for their 20th annual march on May 1 for International Worker’s Day, which they expect to be their biggest march yet. The movement to protect our immigrant brothers and sisters is growing, and justice will be won!

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #ReneeGood #ICE #MIRAC #TCC4J #Feature

At the family press conference outside the Hennepin County Government Center, TCC4J and the families put the responsibility for the murders on the hands of the MPD, Chief Brian O’Hara, and Mayor Jacob Frey.

The families demanded the firing of MPD Chief O’Hara, full MPD cooperation with the city auditor’s investigation into MPD’s failures to investigate Lussier’s death, the prioritization by the city of domestic and intimate partner violence cases, and the establishment of an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC).

Mariah Samuels, a Black woman and a mother of two young children, was killed on September 14 by her ex-partner. She reported her abuse to MPD weeks before and was granted an emergency Order For Protection. Despite going to the courts and pleading for MPD to do something about the threats to her life, her calls went unheard. MPD did not assign an investigator to her case until after she was killed.

Samuels’ sister, Simone Hunter, attended the press conference. She and her family have been gathering community support and calling for accountability from the city despite the trials of the grief of losing a loved one.

Allison Lussier, an Anishinaabe woman, was killed in February 2024. For several months, Lussier called to MPD in fear for her safety from Chuck Foss, her abusive ex-partner. The medical examiner said she died of subdural hematoma, a head injury. Chief O’Hara showed his contempt for her life and the truth by claiming she died of an overdose, instead of the negligence of his MPD.

Jana Sweeney Williams, Lussier’s aunt, spoke at the press conference. She has been calling for “Justice for Allison Lussier” for over a year. She got the attention of the city auditor's office. They have been trying to investigate the case, but have publicly called out the MPD for obstructing their inquiry.

Jess Sundin of TCC4J emceed the press conference. She said, ““I am here because we want to help these families take our power back. When women need help and call for that help they oughta get it.” Sundin pointed to TCC4J’s campaign for a Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), saying, “This is our community and we deserve a right to control police and how they’re policed and who polices them.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #TCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – On a rainy Tuesday evening, October 14, folks gathered at the Hennepin County Government Plaza to commemorate what would have been George Floyd’s 51st birthday.

Angela Harrelson, the aunt of George Floyd, kicked off the program and asked for everyone to stay united in fighting for justice and that she was grateful for the folks who showed up to celebrate her nephew’s birthday.

Myrka Zambrano, an organizer with Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), noted that it took almost 32 years for Martin Luther King’s birthday to be a national holiday, and 150 for Juneteenth to be recognized as a national holiday, but only nine days for Congress to recognize Charlie Kirk’s birthday as a National Day of Remembrance

This action was in response to a decision by congress to designate October 14 as a National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk, a right-wing podcaster, who was shot during an appearance at a Utah University last month.

Simone Hunter spoke on the failures of the police department to take seriously the threats to her sister Mariah Samuels, who was killed by her ex in September. She had called the police several times and even had an order of protection from him, but was not taken seriously by Minneapolis police. This is similar to what happened to Allison Lussier. Lussier was an indigenous woman who was allegedly killed by her ex as well, but MPD Chief O’Hara falsely told media she died of a drug overdose, despite the medical examiner saying otherwise.

Jae Yates, an organizer with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, pointed this out in their speech, that these women were dehumanized by the Minneapolis Police Department, and their deaths like so many others could have been prevented. Yates demanded that Minneapolis put control of the police department in the hands of the people of Minneapolis, with their campaign to establish an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission.

Ebony Dobbins spoke of how MPD “played ding dong ditch” at her home, then climbed through the window of her seven-year-old son’s bedroom and terrorized her family under the guise of a child and animal welfare check. Dobbins believes that she was targeted by police for a case involving her grandmother over 23 years ago, in which she was shot and killed by MPD.

This rally was put on by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #GeorgeFloyd #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #TCC4J

Minneapolis MN – On Sunday, July 13, over 100 community members rallied at Minneapolis’ Mayday Plaza to speak out against the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB), passed by Congress and signed into law by Donald Trump on July 4.

The BBB is set to bring about both the largest tax cut for the rich and largest addition to the federal deficit in many years. Alongside these giveaways to the wealthy, the BBB will also make historic cuts to, among other programs, SNAP and Medicaid, vital federal programs that millions of low income people rely on.

Protesters withstood the summer heat and humidity, as well as smoky air caused by Canadian wildfires to speak out about the BBB as an attack on the working class. The crowd waved signs calling for an end to deportations and genocide, while demanding increased spending on human needs such as employment, education and environmental justice. Cars passing by honked in support as the crowd chanted “We want jobs and education, not wars and deportation!”

The demonstration was organized by Minnesota Workers United (MWU), who decried the BBB as the latest in a series of attacks on working and oppressed peoples launched by the Trump administration.

MWU describes itself as “a group of rank-and-file union members, workers, and community members dedicated to building a fighting labor movement.” Speakers at the rally included several union workers and organizers, as well as activists from a variety of people’s movements.

Organizations speaking at the rally alongside MWU included the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Minnesota Labor for Palestine, Minnesota Anti-War Committee, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, and the Minnesota Library Workers’ Coalition. A worker from Planned Parenthood also spoke about how the BBB is an attack on reproductive rights and the need for the community and unions to fight back.

Luke Wiebolt, a member of MWU, said to the crowd, “I urge you to not give up or fall into escapism, but to instead join forces with your fellow workers, to join an organization, a union, and to build community amidst these attacks. We will fight back against the attacks on workers, on healthcare, on immigrants, on women and reproductive rights, and on the environment.”

The closing speech in the lineup was from Angel Smith-El, a longtime community activist and organizer with the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice. Smith-El highlighted how oppressed nationalities and the urban poor have faced attacks and challenges such as the most recent ones posed by the passage of the BBB and had stood up and fought back for their rights. Closing out her speech, she succinctly exclaimed, “Tax the rich, stop the cuts!”

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #Labor #Trump #BBB #MWU #MIRAC #MLP #MNAWC #TCC4J #MLWC

Minneapolis, MN – On a rainy Monday evening, June 30, hundreds of Minnesotans lined Lake Street with signs and chants to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to give sweeping power to Trump, which could ultimately allow him to end birthright citizenship.

The decision came on Friday June 27. Legal experts say ending birthright citizenship, a right enshrined by the 14th Amendment since 1868, is a direct attack on the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped directly ruling on President Trump’s racist order, for now.

The court agreed with Trump’s lawyers to limit the ability of federal judges to issue universal injunctions from now on. This drastic move takes power away from the judiciary and hands it to Trump. Now whatever legally dubious executive orders Trump may dream up cannot be stopped in every state by federal judges; they can only be paused for the specific client or class that is suing the government.

While the Supreme Court did not rule on the merits of Trump’s clearly illegal attempt to change the Constitution via executive order regarding birthright citizenship, its decision to expand presidential power and restrict judicial power creates a chaotic legal situation where such orders can be implemented in much of the country, while being blocked in other parts of the country or for particular plaintiffs or classes represented in class action lawsuits.

Protesters yelled “Chinga la migra!” and “No one is illegal, all power to the people!” as passing cars on busy Lake Street honked in support during rush hour traffic. The energy stayed high as the crowd heard from five speakers, and despite some rain, stayed for a spirited march through the surrounding neighborhood.

People came out of their houses and onto their porches to support the protest, and patrons at local businesses cheered on as participants marched by with signs that read: “Defend birthright citizenship” and “If the courts won’t stop Trump, the people must stop him.”

Bruce Nestor, a longtime movement lawyer who has defended many activists from state repression, said “To attack birthright citizenship expands the ability of immigration agents to go to every nook and cranny of the country – not just the border, not just within 100 miles of the border, but every school, every hospital – now it allows them to go back. What if your parents were legal permanent residents and it was revoked months later because someone said they made a mistake?”

Dieu Do from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee shared, “My parents were not citizens when they had me. Birthright citizenship is why I am a U.S. citizen. So, the Supreme Court decision that was announced last week really hit home for me. What is legal about kidnapping people in broad daylight and deporting them without due process? What is legal about deliberately targeting people at courthouses and picking people up as they are going to and from hearings? What is legal about revoking student visas for speaking up for Palestine and human rights on their campuses?”

Other speakers included members of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Students for a Democratic Society, and the MN Anti War Committee. Dieu Do ended the speaking portion of the program, stating, “We will continue to protest, be in the streets, calling for legalization for all and an end to mass deportations and raids and demanding justice for all. Because the people united will never be defeated!”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #Trump #MIRAC #TCC4J #SDS #MNAWC #Feature

Edina, MN – On Monday, June 23, a crowd of Minnesotans gathered to join the People’s Action Coalition Against Trump (PACAT) for a press conference and rally against right-wing violence, held in front of the Republican Party of Minnesota Office located in Edina.

In light of the targeted assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and the attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and wife, Yvette Hoffman, PACAT organized the press conference and rally to condemn the rise in violent right-wing extremism, fanned by the reactionary agenda of the Republican Party and President Donald Trump.

PACAT is a coalition composed of various grassroots organizations within the Twin Cities, working together to organize a fighting movement against Donald Trump and the reactionary rhetoric of the Republican Party.

The press conference was grounded in a tone of mourning and anger, as Olivia Crull, speaking on behalf of PACAT, said, “We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and our thoughts are with John and Yvette Hoffman in their journey to recovery. In the wake of this great loss to Minnesota’s fight for progressive change, what we will do is continue to organize in the hopes of making our communities better, safer, and free from reactionary violence.”

As more information surfaces from the tragedy on Saturday, June 14, it has become clear that both legislators, as well as the other individuals and organizations named on the shooter’s list of targets, were singled out because of their advocacy for reproductive rights and other progressive issues.

PACAT views the actions of the killer, Vance Boelter, not as an anomaly, but as part of the long history of anti-abortion violence in this country.

While addressing the crowd, Kristen Bledsoe of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee said, “Rhetoric that propagates the idea of ‘fetal personhood’ and equates abortion with murder, that dehumanizes abortion providers and people who have had abortions, will always lead to the kind of violence that killed Melissa and Mark Hortman. As much as they want to deny responsibility, the Republican Party knows this.”

Right-wing media accounts initially promoted the theory that the shooter was an immigrant or supporter of immigrant rights, given the recent cuts to MinnesotaCare for undocumented adults by the state legislature. Once the motives of the targeted attacks were revealed, the Republican party and conservative media have attempted to distance themselves from this political violence.

Yann Chen of the Minnesota Immigrant Action Committee spoke about this anti-immigrant rhetoric, saying, “Trump’s campaign against undocumented immigrants, against Black and brown people, against trans people, against women, against working-class folks of every background are not new. These platforms of hate have been promoted and associated with the Republican party for over 60 years.”

While some have praised the police response last week, activists against police brutality have pointed out the flaws in their response that led to Boelter getting away, as well as the double standard of how law enforcement treats oppressed nationalities.

Jae Yates of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice posed a question to Republicans, asking, “Will you racially profile white men who drive vehicles that are too similar to police cars or arrest them at nine times the rate of other racial groups? Of course not. Because none of you are willing to name the actual threat in the room, and none of you are willing to be honest about the fact that your enthusiastic embrace of white nationalism has fostered the environment for this horrific crime.”

On the day of the shootings, tens of thousands of Minnesotans protested at the Capitol as part of the national No Kings day of action. Drew Harmon of Minnesota 50501 referenced this moment, saying, “On the morning of June 14, we turned our sorrow into collective action as tens of thousands of Minnesotans came out in cities across the state, not just in Saint Paul, to highlight how sick and tired we are of this hateful rhetoric. But it will require continuous action, this is not something that can be fixed in one day. So, this is a call for everyone to continue the fight.”

#EdinaMN #MN #PeoplesStruggles #TCC4j #RightWingViolence #PACAT #MNAAC #MIRAC

Saint Paul, MN – A crowd gathered outside the building that houses the state of Minnesota Department of Corrections to support the calls to “Free Cornelius Jackson. Free Nico Redding. Free them all!” The May 28 protest and press conference was organized by the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-Sentenced Families Council MN (WIAOSFC).

Founder Alissa Washington stated, “Today marks 19 years since the state of Minnesota stole Cornelius Jackson’s life. He was just 19 years old. A teenager. It was his first time ever in trouble with the law. But instead of stepping into fatherhood and freedom, the state gave him life without the possibility of parole – based solely on lies. There was no physical evidence. No DNA. No confession. Only the word of incentivized jailhouse informants – men who had every reason to lie.”

Jackson is still serving time in Stillwater state prison. Besides needing justice for himself, Jackson is urging those on the outside to also take up the case of fellow inmate Nico Redding.

Nico Redding is 72 years old. His 20-year sentence was due to end in 2005, but sentencing guidelines changed while he was in prison. He has now been incarcerated for over 40 years, for a crime he did not commit. He uses a wheelchair and has other health conditions that have been made worse by the miserable and unsanitary conditions at the 110-year old prison.

Both men were convicted during the era of Minnesota’s notorious “gang task force” era when crooked cops and racist prosecutors openly railroaded people into prison. That task force was exposed long ago, but only two of its victims – Myon Burrell and Marvin Haynes – have seen justice, and they had to wait decades.

Washington called out two of the men in charge of these abuses at the time: Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and lead prosecutor Mike Furnstahl.

WIAOSFC has been working through all of the “official” avenues to get redress. Washington stated, “We are demanding accountability from the Conviction Integrity Unit, the Criminal Review Unit and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office – who are all failing the very people these programs were created to help,” adding, “We are not asking for mercy. We are demanding justice.”

Other speakers at the Wednesday press conference included community members and a representative from 5051, as well as Angel Smith-El of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, and Stacey Gurian-Sherman of Minnesotans for a Better Police Contract. Smith-El and Gurian-Sherman called for community control of the police, to stop tragedies like this from happening in the first place.

Alissa Washington and the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-Sentenced Families Council MN say, “We are done begging. We are done waiting. We are demanding action.”

#StPaulMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #WIAOSFC #TCC4J #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – Just days before the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, rumors swirled that Trump planned to pardon former police officer Derek Chauvin on his federal conviction for violating Floyd’s civil rights. While critical of a pardon, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told reporters he was preparing for the possibility.

Instead of waiting for bad news, organizers from Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and Black Lives Matter Minnesota called an emergency protest on Monday, May 19. Nearly 100 people gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center – the building where killer cop Derek Chauvin was convicted – to say, “No to a pardon!” and “No to all of Trump’s attacks!”

The protesters view a pardon, in the same way they see Trump’s Executive Order 14288, titled in part, “Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement,” as a shameful attack on the movement that demanded accountability for George Floyd’s murder.

“Trump’s threats send a message to cops that they have even more of a license to kill. We were not silent five years ago, and we sure as hell won’t be silent now,” said Angel Smith-El, of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.

Monique Cullars-Doty, of Black Lives Matter Minnesota said, “Trump and his administration have expanded the traditional American integrated networks of oppression and capitalism, with DOGE and Project 2025.”

Cullars-Doty continued, “America has arrived at a time in history where unrestrained, coddled, wealthy, incompetent, hard-hearted, criminalized white privilege has secured the highest positions of leadership in a horror version of a Lemony Snicket-style series of unconstitutional, rule of law defying, detrimental, malicious events. The waves of such events are hitting people in America and abroad like a tsunami, destroying practically everything and anyone in their paths.”

Despite the pardon rumors, and law enforcement preparation, no presidential pardon came through this week. If Trump decides to pardon Chauvin’s federal charges, the 22-year, 6 month state of Minnesota sentence for murder and manslaughter will stand.

Minneapolis marked the five-year anniversary of Floyd’s murder, and the uprising to demand justice, with a weekend-long “Rise & Remember Festival” at George Floyd Square. The National Alliance for Racist and Political Repression organizers held demonstrations across the country for the anniversary, and there will be Minneapolis demonstration on Sunday, June 1.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #GeorgeFloyd #Trump #TCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, March 28, 200 protesters gathered outside of Walker Library to rally against escalating attacks targeting the trans community.

Protesters demanded an end to the compliance with Trump’s transphobic executive orders and policies, and an end to the barriers to HRT access in the state, for Minneapolis to become a sanctuary city for trans people, and for Minneapolis Public Schools to expand protections for trans youth. Protesters also demanded justice for Sam Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota killed in a racist and transphobic hate crime.

This year, Trans Day of Visibility falls amid particularly intense political violence and widespread campaigns for the dehumanization of trans people. However, the large showing of support both from attendees and those passing by during a busy rush hour illustrated that despite the attacks, trans people are building power and fighting back.

“We have to be the ones to protect us. If we are going to fight our way out of this, we have to be able to rely on each other and not state actors to protect us from state violence,” said Jae Yates of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.

“I encourage you all to become vested in your communities. Continue going to rallies like this, show up for your neighbors in times of need, join an organization fighting for human rights, because after all, trans rights are human rights,” said Lestat Clemmer, an organizer with Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

The Twin Cities have become a hotbed of trans organizing, and in Minnesota, a thriving trans community has been built despite the political attacks across much of the country. Many trans people fleeing violence in their home states have relocated to Minnesota in recent years. Minnesota Transplants, an organization that supports trans people that have fled to Minnesota was founded a year ago and has already grown to 600 members.

“We have to fight to keep Minnesota safe for everybody who has left everything behind,” said a founder of Minnesota Transplants. “Find your people. Find people who can support you and keep you strong through all of this. It’s hard to fight this alone and you shouldn’t have to do that.”

The protest’s turnout, and the voices of trans leaders from so many different movement spaces across the Twin Cities, demonstrates just how expansive the movement for trans liberation is. That movement will only continue to grow as trans people continue to fight back.

This protest was organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) in cooperation with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and the Taking Back Pride Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC #TCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – 100 people came out of the cold of Minnesota’s winter and jumped into the fires of the struggle on Friday, March 7. Beginning at 6 p.m., the hall of the Lucy Parson’s Center was packed for an event to mark International Women’s Day.

Key points of discussion centered on the origin of gender oppression, and the role of women as both workers in their workplaces, but also those who have the brunt of work in the home forced upon them. Olivia Crull of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and a founding member of MN Abortion Action Committee, put it concisely: “If we want to understand where gender oppression comes from, we first have to talk about reproductive labor and the family. Reproductive labor is exactly what it sounds like: it reproduces our health and energy outside of work. It includes things like cooking, cleaning, entertaining, childbearing and rearing.”

Crull noted, “Historically and currently, women perform the bulk of this labor so that when their husbands return to work, having been fed and cared for, they’re able to continue producing for their capitalist bosses.” Crull also noted the important role that women play in that reserved group of unemployed workers, being drawn on by the billionaire class to expand workforces in growing industries, and on the other hand being pushed out at the first sign of economic downturn.

Expanding from this discussion, speakers touched on the role of women and the impact of gender oppression in each of their particular struggles. Robynne Johnson, speaking for MNAAC, discussed the importance of the struggle for women’s and reproductive rights to all struggles, stating, “To support reproductive freedom is to support working-class women and gender oppressed people everywhere.”

Johnson continued, “When Roe was overturned in 2022, states across the country began rolling out abortion bans and stealing the right to bodily autonomy from women, and recently we’ve seen legislators introduce dozens of bills aimed at limiting trans people from receiving gender-affirming care. These laws are direct attacks on working and oppressed people. When the ruling class institutes bans against our bodies, they are stealing our autonomy away from us, just like they steal all the wealth that we create.”

Attendees listened with great interest to the words of speakers and after that were invited to participate in a Q&A portion to get deeper into the matter of each of the speakers’ issues, and how the fight for women’s rights and an end to gender oppression connects to other struggles. At the closing of the event, attendees were invited to take part in a march the following day, March 8, to mark the working class holiday of International Women’s Day itself.

The event was spearheaded by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Twin Cities District and included speakers from FRSO as well as: the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA – CWA), the MN Anti War Committee (AWC), and the MN Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #InternationalWomensDay #FRSO #TCC4J #MIRAC #MNAAC #AWC #AFACWA

Minneapolis – More than 100 people gathered at the New City Center for “We Keep Us Safe: A Teach-in on the Black History of Community Control of the Police,” hosted by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The program featured panelists from National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression branches in different cities – all in various stages of the fight for local community control of the police.

Jae Yates, a leader in TCC4J, opened with a presentation on the Black history of community control. TCC4J is leading the campaign for an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC) to establish community control over Minneapolis police.

“At its core, community control of police is about giving power to the communities most-affected by police violence, often composed of the Black working class,” explained Yates. “TCC4J organizes for community control because we believe that’s the first step to dismantling the violent systems of policing and incarceration that are currently brutalizing and tearing apart our communities.”

Yates outlined the history of policing in the U.S., which started with slave patrols and so-called Black Codes to criminalize and repress Black people. They also described the period of Reconstruction, when Black people in the South had democratic community control over how the law was enforced and who enforced it. The end of Reconstruction also symbolized the end of Black political power, including control of law enforcement. Decades later, the Black Power movement revived the demand for community control of police. Yates also described historical connections between the Black liberation movement, and movements in support of gay liberation and Palestinian liberation.

Syd Loving, a national leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), from its founding in 1973. “The 80s and 90s were tough on the Black Liberation Movement. They killed our leaders, put our leaders in jail and repressed our movement.” During those years, most Alliance branches stopped operating. “The good news is the Alliance was refounded in 2019, and as of today we have 30 branches across the country. The beautiful message there is that the struggle for community control of police is alive across the country!”

Loving also described how the struggles for community control and for Black Liberation are part of “the broader struggle to pull up all forms of oppression and exploitation from the root. In FRSO we talk about our strategy for revolution, and it’s the united front against monopoly capitalism. At the core of that united front is the strategic alliance between the national liberation movements and the entire working class.”

She described how the coalition of the Alliance and other Black-led organizations with working with progressive labor unions was the key to victories in Chicago. “When we come together and recognize that we have a common enemy, that we have something to win, that takes us so much further on the road to pulling up monopoly capitalism from the root and building a world where everyone can be free.”

Toni Jones of New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP) described how she got involved in organizing: “The movement that had been spurred on by what happened in Minneapolis in 2020 was dying down. The nonprofits were saying things, but they weren’t fighting for anything. They weren’t standing up for our community. So I realized that I would have to be the fight that I wanted to see. We formed NOCOP to stand up for the community.” Jones added, “The end goal of this struggle was never about fighting the police. It’s fighting for power.”

Jones continued, “When we support community control it’s so we can get those police and move them out of our way, so we can directly take the fight to those in city hall, take the fight to those in the Pentagon, take the fight to those in White House, without worrying about our heads getting beaten in for supporting those that we love.”

Merawi Gerima, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) also got involved in the movement in 2020. “The George Floyd rebellion kicked off while I was up here, and I remember seeing a flyer for a National Day of Action with some organization with too many letters in the name. I ended up going. I had never seen anything like that in my life in downtown Chicago.” That organization was CAARPR, which Gerima joined. “The following year, the year that we were able to pass the ECPS [Empowering Communities for Public Safety] ordinance establishing these two bodies in our city which are the beginnings of community control of police in Chicago. It’s the most-advanced, democratic police accountability system in the country and it’s only just beginning.”

Panelists discussed how to respond to community fears that CPAC may stop cops from protecting them, or other concerns about community control of police. They explained that police departments aren’t showing data to prove that massive budgets (hundreds of millions of dollars in large cities) are reducing crime or solving cases.

Gerima said, “We’re fighting to hold the police accountable, for the things that they do, and the things that they don’t do in our communities. Black people are overpoliced and under protected and we want power to be able to change that.”

Gerima also warned listeners against putting a call for police abolition at the forefront, stating, “The fastest way to lose Black people on the Southside is to say we want to get rid of the police. And that’s not to say that it’s not a reasonable goal in the future. It’s to say that conditions right now don’t support that. Black people want to hold the police accountable, they want justice for the things that police do to them, they want them to be punished for the crimes that they commit against us and they want to be able to call them when they need them. The people that we need to win this fight understand the equation perfectly.”

When asked what motivates their commitment to keep working, Jones said, “I know that what’s at stake is the personal stories of the people that we meet in this work. They don’t get to hang up their struggles and the tears when they go home at night. They go to sleep thinking about whether they’ll ever get justice for their sons. If I keep them in mind, I know it’s way too soon to start calling it quits.”

In that spirit, Tiffany Jackson, sister of Allison Lussier, was invited to the stage after the panel discussion. Lussier, a native woman, was murdered by her boyfriend after the Minneapolis police failed to act on numerous 911 calls and orders for protection. Instead of investigating the case as a murder, MPD Chief O’Hara began a public smear campaign against Lussier. He claims her death was caused by a drug overdose, despite the medical examiner’s office saying they were unable to determine how Lussier died. Pressure from family and community supporters recently pushed the city council to order a formal audit of MPD’s handling of Lussier’s case.

Several activists stood beside Jackson, including Alissa Washington, of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-sentenced Families Council-MN. Washington urged the crowd to keep an eye on this case, “We do need all nations to get together on this, you guys. We are Black, white, native up here. We need everybody to mobilize, because we don’t know what will happen.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #BlackHistoryMonth #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #TCC4J #NAARPR

Minneapolis, MN – Disgraced former Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis leader, Bob Kroll, seeks President-elect Trump’s nomination to become U.S. Marshal for the Minnesota Judicial District. Kroll, a 30-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department, had a lengthy disciplinary record, including wrongful arrest and excessive force complaints, before his retirement in 2021.

Kroll settled a federal civil suit in 2023, banning him from serving as a police officer in Hennepin, Ramsey, or Anoka Counties for ten years. The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU of Minnesota, alleged that Kroll and his colleagues in the MPD retaliated against community members exercising their right to protest and used excessive force and chemical irritants without providing sufficient warning. The settlement also bars Kroll from serving in a leadership role in any law enforcement agency in those counties, or in any role on the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement oversight and licensing board.

Bob Kroll and MPD’s wanton brutality in response to the uprising in 2020, sparked by MPD’s execution of George Floyd, was the rule rather than the exception. Over the course of his career, Kroll amassed over 20 internal affairs complaints and was named in several lawsuits. In an April 2020 interview with STIM Radio host Maxwell Thomas Silverhammer, Kroll stated, “I’ve been involved in three shootings myself, and not a one of them has bothered me. Maybe I’m different.”

Alongside his violent career as a Minneapolis police officer, Kroll served as the president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis from 2015 to 2021.

“Police unions are not real unions, and police officers are not real workers. Police protect property and the rights of the ruling class. They don’t protect community,” said Angel Smith-El, an organizer with Minneapolis for Community Control of the Police. Several community organizations and a number of labor groups, including Education Minnesota, the Minnesota Nurses Association, and Minnesota AFL-CIO, called for Kroll’s resignation as police federation president after his comments in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.

Just days after that tragedy, Kroll sent a letter to police federation members praising their response to the protests, defending the officers who murdered George Floyd, and lamenting that MPD officers were “held back” from using sufficient gas munitions and less-lethal munitions on protesters.

“Bob Kroll has played such a nefarious role in policing in Minneapolis and beyond,” said Noah Schumacher, an organizer with the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice. “The fact that he has been barred from policing and has himself been involved in multiple shootings, which he refers to so flippantly, shows that he has no business in law enforcement anywhere. He embodies everything that the Trump administration is going to bring.”

Last weekend, Kroll’s attorney released a letter supporting his application to join the U.S. Marshals, which is involved in asset forfeiture, witness protection, transporting federal inmates, and providing security for federal courthouses and judges in Minnesota. While it is unclear what the selection process entails, the decision ultimately lies in the hands of the incoming administration.

Kroll’s bid for the federal position comes in the same week that the city of Minneapolis reached a tentative agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the form of a consent decree that would purportedly increase oversight and shift the department’s use of force policy. A similar DOJ consent decree in New Orleans has already been riddled with conflicts of interest, including a number of former New Orleans Police Department leaders on the payroll of the organization tasked with overseeing the consent decree. It is unclear how the existing consent decrees and other ongoing federal police reforms will be impacted by the Trump administration, which has been vocally supportive of militarized policing and violent crackdowns on political dissent.

Trump has repeatedly called for qualified immunity, creating another barrier to holding police accountable when they commit crimes on duty. The coming weeks and months will be informative, as community members watch to see how the incoming Trump administration will take up the Biden administration’s torch in the work to impede police reform and oversight.

On Monday, January 20, starting at noon, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Black Lives Matter MN, the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee and others will protest under the slogan “Fight for MLK’s Dream. Resist Trump’s Nightmare.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #Trump #MLK #TCC4J #BLM #MIRAC

In the weeks and months preceding this violent event, Moturi did everything someone in his position would be expected to do in a society where policing is put forward as the one and only intervention for people in crisis. Moturi repeatedly sought intervention from the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). In an online fundraiser from September 2023, his wife Caroline Moturi stated, “Despite multiple calls to the police for help, we were consistently informed nothing could be done. At one point, an officer who responded to our distress told us to ‘just move out.’” Moturi’s repeated calls to 911 for assistance resulted in no meaningful actions to prevent this completely avoidable and unprovoked shooting.

During his press conference on Friday, October 25, Chief Brian O’Hara of MPD appeared disdainful toward not only the victim, but also the Minneapolis city council members who sent O’Hara a letter denouncing MPD’s inaction under his leadership. Chief O’Hara behaved exactly how we would expect a cop with a bloated budget and no accountability to behave. O’Hara pulled out the usual weak excuse that MPD is “understaffed,” he chastised the few council members who had the audacity to voice their criticism of him, and he even placed blame on Moturi, stating, “the situation escalated in part by actions that were precipitated by the victim.” And what was it that Moturi did to invite the bullet which entered his neck? He chose to prune the trees in his front yard on an October afternoon.

After the shooting that was caught on camera, Sawchak remained free in the community while Moturi was confined to a hospital bed recovering from his injuries. It was not until October 27 - four days after the shooting, when MPD’s inaction became the subject of community outrage and national media attention - that O’Hara executed the warrant for Sawchak’s arrest. Neighbors reported that MPD deployed a massive police presence, blared loudspeakers and were keeping neighbors awake until at least 2:30 a.m. on a work night.

After four days of sitting comfortably in his home, Sawchak was detained on second-degree attempted murder, along with a host of other charges. O’Hara and mainstream media outlets are reporting that Sawchak has a history of mental health issues. This situation was another example that when police are dealing with white men, they somehow find the capacity to show a level of patience, restraint and empathy that is rarely extended to Black, brown and indigenous people.

The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice remembers the names of Tekle Sundberg, Jamar Clark, Travis Jordan, Amir Locke, George Floyd and so many others killed by MPD. Indeed, O’Hara’s victim-blaming attitude toward Moturi, his disregard for public safety, and MPD's ineptitude demonstrate why real police accountability is needed in this city.

MPD presents itself as the only deterrent to community violence, but even with a yearly budget ask of over $230 millionall they offer is excuses for their failures. This situation illustrates very clearly that police do not make our neighborhoods safer, and MPD’s inability to prevent violent incidents like this is not a result of politics or “the current rhetoric around policing,” as O’Hara wants us to believe. We are under no illusions; police do not serve community interests, so we need to focus our energies toward organizing for political power over MPD. We need a robust mechanism for holding MPD and Chief O’Hara accountable when their actions or inactions lead to community members being harmed, maimed or killed.

The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) seeks to establish a Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC) to be that robust new governing body that holds power over the police. Elected CPAC commissioners would be mandated to review all police misconduct investigations. CPAC would have sweeping powers over MPD and could get rid of officers anywhere in the chain of command, including the chief of police, and muchmore.

Visit the TCC4J website to learn more about our initiative, get involved, and find us in the community to sign our petition in-person, or look for @TCC4J.

#MinneapolisMN #TCC4J #CPAC #DavisMoturi

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, October 26, the Free Palestine Coalition organized a rally that drew out 75 community members and students to send a message to University of Minnesota administration that the repression of student Palestine solidarity protesters on campus is unacceptable and will not be allowed to stand. The protesters rallied near a UMN football game during homecoming week, and were seen by thousands of students and alumni, many of whom joined in pro-Palestine chants and raised fists in support as they passed the demonstration.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, October 21, 11 UMN student members of Students for a Democratic Society occupied a campus administrative building, Morrill Hall, stating that they would not leave the building until the university resumed a course towards divestment from apartheid Israel that had been agreed upon in the spring. The university responded with heavy repression. More than 50 police vehicles were called to campus to respond to this student protest, including a SWAT van, and heavily armed police were seen cordoning off large sections of campus. Students were detained and arrested at gunpoint. Four members of the press were likewise detained, though not arrested and jailed.

The 11 students who were arrested are facing trumped-up charges. One has been charged with felony assault of a police officer, nine have been suspended from the University, and four were immediately evicted from their campus housing. All 11 were held for upwards of 36 hours in jail. FBI agents were called to the jail to attempt to interrogate the protesters, for unknown purposes.

Jess Sundin, an organizer with the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, an organization that combats police crimes and fights for community control of the police in Minneapolis, spoke at Saturday's rally in support of the students who are facing repression. Sundin stated, “There is nothing more important than standing against genocide. Nothing. Our students did the right thing on Monday, and I am outraged at the university’s response. Instead of doing the right thing, standing with them and divesting from Israel’s genocide, the admin sent in the UMPD to point weapons at our students – that could have been my kid!”

Sundin went on to say, “Not only that. There is no alleged federal crime here, but the university even called in the FBI! How dare they call the FBI on our students?! The FBI are the political police, and they are involved only for one reason: to silence dissent. That is political repression, and the only way to fight it is with solidarity.”

Dr. Sima Shahksari, a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, emceed the event. Shahksari stated, “The reason the students occupied the building was because the administration continues to ignore their demands for divestment from the Israeli genocide in Gaza, even though students voted overwhelmingly last semester for divestment. If Black students had not occupied the ‘Morrill’ Hall in 1969, the discriminatory policies of UMN would not have changed; there would not have been an African American and African Studies Department; there would have been no MLK Program. Criminalizing students who protest discriminatory laws or laws that protect a genocide is shameful.”

Community organizers with the Free Palestine Coalition have plans to continue to support the students through this period of political repression. A court date has been set for the student who is facing felony charges, and the community will rally to show the police, FBI, and university administration that students have the support of the entire Palestine liberation movement.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #PoliticalRepression #SDS #TCC4J #MNAWC #FPC #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, October 14 over 50 protesters gathered together on Indigenous People’s Day to tell Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance that he is not welcome in Minneapolis. Vance attended a private fundraiser in Minneapolis the same day, and held a press conference at the burned down Minneapolis former 3rd Precinct police station.

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) as part of a national week of action called by the Legalization for All Network to stand with Haitian immigrants in the fight for legalization for all, in the face of the intensely racist anti-immigrant rhetoric spewed by right-wing politicians at every turn.

Vance and the Trump administration continuously dehumanize immigrants to fuel their campaign that champions racist inequality above all else. Vance has been a major player in spreading disgusting lies about Haitian immigrants consuming pets in Springfield, Ohio. Since these lies have been popularized, threats and vandalism targeting Springfield immigrants have forced families to shelter at home, many too afraid to send their children to school.

The protest began with chants of “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” as the crowd prepared to listen to speeches and hold banners and signs to the honks of supportive cars driving by.

A speaker from the Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota called out the anti-immigrant lie Vance has been spewing that Haitian immigrants eat dogs and cats. “It was like watching a horror show because we know that it’s a lie.”

She continued: “The empty rhetoric that Trump and JD Vance are pushing regarding Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio is false propaganda due to a lack of sound plans to address serious and difficult issues such as global warming, homelessness, inflation, health care costs, and so forth. Without migrants the economy would be in a dire situation. The hospitality industry, the construction industry, and the agricultural industry rely heavily on the labor of immigrants.”

Alfreda Daniels, a Liberian immigrant and co-founder of the Black Immigrant Collective also spoke to the despicable use of immigrants as scapegoats to the country’s issues and how immigrants must be welcome regardless of how they came here, stating, “When I hear people like Vance and Trump say that people need to come in the right way, tell me, what is the right way? There is no ‘right way.’”

Protesters also heard from Noah Schumacher with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) about the connections between struggles against oppression around the world and the fight for community control of the police, as, little did the crowd know, JD Vance was telling racist lies in his meeting with the Minneapolis Police Department outside of the former 3rd Precinct around the same time.

Schumacher stated, “Many of us here in the U.S. are so indoctrinated with the myths of how great the American Revolution is, we are never taught about the revolution that was a real leap forward for humanity: the Haitian Revolution. In Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, we see how the struggles for Haiti, Palestine, and across the globe are connected to our struggles here to get community control of the police.”

The protest concluded with a passionate speech from Mari Mansfield with MIRAC in support of legalization for all: “We have to stand up and fight back. We have to fight for immigrants, for the people who walked across the earth to be here, for the people who carried their children on their backs to be here. And to do that, we need legalization for all!”

The protest was led by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and featured speakers from the Black Immigrant Collective, Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota, Black Lives Matter, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee and the MN Anti-War Committee.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #Haiti #MIRAC #HJCMN #BLM #MNAAC #MNAWC #TCC4J #Vance #Trump #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – For the seventh year running, community members disrupted the Twin Cities Pride parade, June 30, to protest the inclusion of cops and corporations. Their inclusion comes at the expense of queer community members who want the event to honor the spirit of radical resistance Pride came out of and to continue the fight for LGBTQ liberation. This year, more than 1000 protesters marched with the Taking Back Pride Coalition for not only LGBTQ liberation, but especially for Palestinian liberation.

TC Pride is one of the largest such events in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of people. Taking Back Pride, a coalition initiated by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), took the street in protest ahead of the corporate-sponsored parade.

The first Taking Back Pride protest focused on demanding an end to police presence in the parade and the festival, but organizers soon expanded their demands to address Pride’s failure to address the needs of Black, brown and indigenous community members, especially trans folks. They have long called on Pride to break ties with the corporations that dominate the parade and festival.

As TCC4J organizer Loretta VanPelt put it, “These corporations funnel millions of dollars into conservative campaigns and laws, they pollute the planet, they support war and genocide. Then once a year they throw a rainbow on their logo and think we’ll just forget all that. But we remember and we want to remind people that our rights as LGBT people are far from secure and that these corporations only care about us when we’re profitable.”

The first Pride march was held in New York City in 1970, marking one year after the Stonewall rebellion, when LGBTQ folks fought back against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar. The confrontation lasted five nights where, with bricks and molotov cocktails, the community fought back against police terror. This was the time when the LGBTQ liberation made strong connections to other movements, from the Black liberation movement to the movement to end U.S. war in Vietnam. Cities across the country continue to celebrate Pride, but most of these events, including in Minneapolis, have devolved to a party for tourists instead of a political event commemorating the Stonewall uprising against police brutality.

Hundreds of anti-trans bills are set to pass in the next year. Black and brown people continue to be brutalized and killed by police. 40,000 Palestinians have been murdered since October 7. Taking Back Pride Coalition organizers say TC Pride is complicit in these injustices, through silence, inaction and even making space for the FBI, the National Guard, and weapons manufacturers to participate.

A statement by organizers said, “We refuse to allow this disgusting pinkwashing of genocide to continue unchallenged. We march for a free Palestine and an end to all imperialist occupations, for substantive accountability for those impacted by police brutality through community control, for our queer and trans siblings who have been stolen by violence, and for true queer liberation. We march to honor the legacy of Black and brown trans women and nonbinary people who fought for the rights and acceptance of all LGBTQ people.”

Led by Bikers Riding Against Police Brutality (BRAPB), a social justice motorcycle group, and Fury du Nord – a queer and trans motorcycle riding club, protesters marched the same route as the corporate parade, to the beat of the Yalla Drum group and the Unlawful Assembly Marching Band. The corporate parade was delayed, as protesters stopped every few blocks for speakers and performance. One powerful stop was a die-in, where the names of trans people killed in the last year were read aloud. Parade organizers and security complained about delays, but most onlookers were supportive, joining in many of the chants. Some even left the sidelines and joined the march.

The protest ended with multiple actions inside the massive Pride festival at Loring Park. First, protesters took over the Stonewall Stage. Organizer Jae Yates explained the reason for the protest, and then Levi Lake spoke in tribute to Liara Tsai, a trans DJ who was killed just the week before.

Smaller groups broke off to disrupt problematic festival vendors. The FBI and the National Guard both had booths, aiming to recruit from the LGBTQ community. Protesters blocked their booths with massive banners and addressed the crowds of people about their role in oppressing people’s movements at home and abroad. Another group disrupted the Target corporation photobooth, by displaying images of Palestinian martyrs as a protest of the U.S.-backed genocide.

In addition to TCC4J, the Taking Back Pride Coalition includes Anti War Committee MN, Bikers Riding Against Police Brutality, Climate Justice Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, MN Abortion Action Committee, MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, MN Workers United, People’s Pride, UMN Students for a Democratic Society, Unlawful Assembly Marching Band, and Women Against Military Madness.

#MinneapolisMN #TakingBackPride #TCC4J #WAMM #AntiWarCommitteeMN #Pride #LGBTQLiberation #StandUpFightBack #FreePalestine #MIRAC #SDS #UMNSDS #TwinCitiesPride #TwinCities #Stonewall

Three people were killed, and four others were injured, including a firefighter, on Thursday night in South Minneapolis. Most politicians and mainstream media have focused their statements and headlines on the death of MPD officer Jamal Mitchell. All loss of life is tragic, and of course it can be acknowledged that Officer Mitchell was killed while responding to an emergency in the community without diminishing the value of the other lives taken or harmed that day.

The life of a police officer is not more important than the lives of civilians. According to police, the incident began after they received a call that two civilians had been shot in an apartment. It was not until officers had been shot at that the neighborhood was flooded with an overwhelming police response. Countless MPD squad cars, SWAT, helicopters, state troopers, county sheriffs and police from other agencies raced to the scene.

When community members experience violence and crime, we don’t see these kinds of responses. Instead, we are told that police are understaffed and unable to deliver public safety services. While real crime rates have been falling for years, we are repeatedly told police need more funding, more personnel and more resources. Yesterday’s events show that when an incident is a priority for police, they can mobilize limitless resources.

While neighbors were still barred by police from returning to their homes, Mayor Frey held a press conference with the governor, leaders from the MPD and the BCA and all of the City Council. Their focus was on the tragic death of officer Mitchell, but they had only a few words for the civilians killed and injured that day, or the neighbors traumatized by witnessing the violent events.

It’s been more than 20 years since an MPD officer was shot and killed on duty. In that same time period, our community has seen MPD officers kill dozens of community members. Most of those deaths are ignored or even justified by politicians and media, who base their responses on police narratives alone. Thursday’s tragic but unusual events should not be used to derail efforts to address the harms that police do to community members. We have a right to demand accountability when those who are paid to protect and serve can kill with impunity.

This tragedy does not undo the MPD’s record of brutality and racism or erase the need for substantive change. Instead, we are committed to continuing the fight for community control over police, including a democratically-elected civilian body to hold police accountable when there is wrongdoing, and to set policies and procedures that meet the needs of our community members. We are continuing the fight for CPAC, a Civilian Police Accountability Commission.

#MinneapolisMN #TCC4J #CPAC #MPD

Minneapolis, MN – An estimated 300 Twin Cities residents came out in a downpour of rain to participate in the Free Palestine Coalition’s emergency rally to show solidarity with Rafah, May 27. The protest took place outside of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office near downtown Minneapolis.

Protesters wore keffiyehs and pro-Palestine apparel, held signs favorable to Palestinian liberation, and bellowed chants like “From the olive to the sand, Palestine is our demand,” demonstrating their commitment and continued support of Palestinian liberation.

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) utilized the dark of night to engage in military tactics that continued genocidal efforts on the Palestinian people, dropping over 60 bombs within 48 hours and killing at least 45 civilians who sought any semblance of solace Rafah had to offer.

The Rafah massacre took place on the weekend of the anniversary of the death of George Floyd, and on this Memorial Day, the MN Free Palestine Coalition’s emergency response rally illuminated Israel’s unceasing genocide.

Loretta VanPelt, from Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, placed the Black liberation with the liberation of Palestinians, touching on the offensive chokehold tactics that were used in the killing of George Floyd as equivalent to those used in the massacre of Palestinians. “The cops here, in Minneapolis and across the country are trained by the IOF. We need to continue to fight together for a free Palestine. I’m glad I’m in the same company and on the same side with people who want liberation,” said VanPelt.

Trent Fast of the Anti-War Committee proposed that instead of taking part in the traditional American Memorial Day holiday, “we take part in a different type of remembrance. We should be honoring the millions of innocent civilians who have been beaten, tortured, raped and murdered at the hand of the American military and its willing proxies over the course of this nation’s history.”

Fast went on to say, “The Zionist entity of Israel, with the unrelenting support of Genocide Joe and all of his crooked-mouthed cronies in Washington, have unleashed some of the most devastating attacks to date on the exhausted, malnourished, desperate and dying Palestinians who have fled to Rafah, who are grasping at the sliver of hope that they may somehow escape the nightmare they’ve been enduring for the past seven months in their native land.”

Representatives of Qatar and Egypt have indicated that the recent air strikes and onslaught may be additional deterrents to peace deals that Israel has continued to obstruct. France’s President Emmanuel Macron and the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell have also expressed their disdain – condemning the attacks on Rafah while practicing vigilant avoidance of denouncing the ongoing genocide and displacement of Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the attacks “a tragic mistake,” after Israel’s dismissal of the International Court of Justice order to halt its offensive assault on Rafah. Not in alignment with the verbal sentiments of the prime minister, the IOF took to social media to conceal their adverse attacks, claiming they “carried out an intelligence-based precise strike that targeted senior Hamas terrorists in Tal al-Sultan.”

The world has become aware of the fabrications coming out of Israeli leadership and military operations, seeing the amplified messages coming out of Rafah with reports of the dozens killed and infernos at the refugee camps.

Where international news outlets continue to offer skewed opinions and differing narratives, American Muslims for Palestine’s Maysoon Wazwaz reminded us to pivot attention to the people of Gaza, in the struggle for a free Palestine, stating, “We center them first, we center their work always. When I talk about Palestine, I bring up every person who is on the ground first, before I bring up me. This is about them, first and foremost, and we unite with them for their struggle.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #MNFreePalestineCoalition #AntiWarCommittee #TCC4J #AMP

Minneapolis, MN – Minneapolis city government placed a roadblock in front of the ballot measure to establish community control of the police, May 9. Community members say the fight will continue.

Last week, the volunteer organizers delivered the signatures of over 12,000 Minneapolis residents who support putting community control of police on the ballot, through a city charter amendment to establish an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC).

Today, May 9, the city clerk’s office reported to the city council that only 5445 were verified as Minneapolis registered voters, 3498 less than the number required to move their proposal to the ballot.

“We are outraged to see so many of our neighbors' voices be discarded by burdensome policies that make it impossible for a truly grassroots initiative to move forward,” said Jae Yates, Minneapolis for Community Control of Police (M4CCP) field organizer. “You shouldn't need paid staff or politicians in your pockets to have a say in how your own communities are policed.”

Minneapolis for Community Control of Police organizers hold that the current statutes exclude many Minneapolis residents who signed the petition and should have their names counted. According to the clerk, 1341 signatures were from registered voters who have simply moved to a new address since signing. In a city with many renters and widespread housing instability, this excludes registered voters.

While they will continue to collect signatures to show the strength of the people’s support before the May 20 deadline, M4CCP will soon announce plans for other avenues in the short term to achieve community control of police.

Petitioning has been ongoing since the trial of Derek Chauvin, with an army of volunteers knocking doors, and speaking to neighbors, co-workers and students at grocery stores, houses of worship, and every kind of community gathering in Minneapolis. Every signature collected represents many more conversations with community members, since a lot of people who wanted to sign the petition were not registered to vote or ineligible to vote.

Despite this massive effort, organizers are not surprised the city clerk’s count threw out so many of the signatures submitted. According to organizer Noah Schumacher, “We understand that grassroots initiatives taken on by the people face anti-democratic barriers. We saw what happened in Atlanta when Cop City organizers collected over 100,000 signatures against the building of Cop City. Their initiative was thrown out on a technicality.”

“We already have a mandate from the people,” says Jae Yates. “Tens of thousands protested in outrage after the 2020 police murder of George Floyd. Back in 2015, thousands joined the occupation of Plymouth Avenue and marches after the murder of Jamar Clark. The people of Minneapolis were in the streets for months following each of these murders, leading and joining protests and heartbreaking vigils, getting arrested, getting brutalized, and fighting for change. The people have spoken.”

They continued, “After the lynching of George Floyd, the city promised change. Months later, Minneapolis police murdered Dolal Idd. Then Leneal Frazier. Then Amir Locke. Then Tekle Sundberg. We know the list will go on and on, unless there is radical change. We need true accountability. No more do-nothing commissions that are set up to fail, leaving the mayor of Minneapolis still in charge of his murderous squad. No more million-dollar payouts for police brutality. No more lies, no more cover-ups. We need accountability, both for the past and going forward.”

The charter amendment put forward by this petition calls for an all-elected commission of 13 civilians to oversee the police department. The CPAC would be empowered to investigate every resident complaint and abuse of police power. They would set police department policy, hire the chief, and be able to discipline officers. They would be required to do full reporting on all their activities and results.

Humberto Martin of M4CCP said, “CPAC gets the mayor, and the mayor’s political and financial ambitions, out of the picture. We need an entity whose sole responsibility is to hold the police accountable that we the people control directly. We need CPAC.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #CPAC #M4CCP #TCC4J #PoliceCrimes