News and Views from the People's Struggle
Saint Paul, MN – On the afternoon of April 2, about 50 people gathered for a protest in Saint Paul’s Frogtown area to “Stand up against hate” and demand justice for Asian people who have been targeted in hate crimes, discrimination and violence.
Elk River, MN – On the morning of March 8, around 50 people gathered at the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office to demand that the county cut ties with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The rally was organized by Sanctuary and Resistance to Injustice (SARI) and was supported by Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM), the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), Filipinx for Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice Minnesota (FIRM), and various other groups who were all in attendance.
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Minneapolis, MN – On March 12 a car caravan brought honks of solidarity to Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) negotiating committee members while they were in talks with the school district administration at the Davis Center after a week of being on strike.
Minneapolis, MN – On January 23, protesters marched in freezing temperatures to bring attention to the Biden administration’s inhumane immigration policies. The march, organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), took place in a neighborhood with many immigrant families and received significant support from onlookers as protesters chanted about closing the camps, abolishing ICE, and supporting legalization for all. The protesters demanded that Biden and the Democratic-controlled Congress take immediate action to reverse all Trump-era anti-immigrant policies and act on their campaign promises to support immigrant families.
Minneapolis, MN – On November 14, about 30 people gathered at Mayday Plaza on a cold day with signs and banners to demand asylum for Haitian immigrants. The action was planned by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) to demand legalization for all, this time with a focus on the recent blatant abuses of Haitian immigrants at the hands of Border Patrol agents on horseback at the Texas border as well as the recent upsurge in deportations of Haitian immigrants under Biden. It was endorsed by the Anti-War Committee (AWC), the Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota, and Filipinx for Immigrant Rights & Racial Justice Minnesota (FIRM). Protesters held banners and signs demanding, “Legalization for all!” “No militarized border!” “Asylum for Haitians” and “End abuse of Haitian migrants.” The group chanted and waved to cars that honked in support as they drove by.
Minneapolis, MN – In the early evening of October 13, a group of about 15 people gathered on the corner of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in South Minneapolis and held banners that read: “Legalization for all” and “No militarized border.” The action was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).
Los Angeles, CA – A group of people gathered at Belvedere Park in East Los Angeles, September 25, to write and draw letters. The artwork and letters are for the refugee children, mostly Central American, held at the Pomona Fairplex detention center. The event was hosted by the Immigration Committee of Centro Community Service Organization, or Centro CSO.
Minneapolis, MN – There have been some recent advances in the campaign to end cooperation between the largest county in Minnesota, Hennepin County, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The campaign has been organized by the Decriminalizing Communities Coalition, which brings together several local immigrant rights and social justice organizations.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 50 immigrant rights protesters held a ‘noise demo’ June 8 outside of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office to demand she take action to protect those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status.
San Jose, CA – 100 people rallied to demand justice for the vendors of the Berryessa Flea Market in San Jose on June 3. Vendors' jobs are at risk since the Berryessa Urban Village Plan aims to do away with the 120-acre area the flea market has resided in for over 60 years.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All Network.
Protesters demand legalization for all, jail killer cops!
Los Angeles, CA – For the sixth consecutive year, Centro CSO held their May Day march and rally in Boyle Heights. Main demands were “Legalization for all” and “Jail killer cops.”
Milwaukee, WI – In spite of gusts of wind in excess of 50 miles per hour, more than 250 people marched from the office of Wisconsin’s premier immigrant rights organization, Voces de la Frontera, to the office of reactionary U.S. Senator Ron Johnson on the afternoon of May 1. The focus of the march was on essential immigrant workers.
Grand Rapids, MI – West Michigan labor unions joined by community and social justice groups celebrated International Workers Day on May 1 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
New York, NY – Around 400 people gathered in Union Square on a sunny afternoon of May 1, International Workers Day. Dozens of organizations based in New York came together to not only celebrate workers and our struggles, but to call for the general demands of unionizing and organizing all workers, immediate asylum for all migrants, abolishing ICE and stopping police terror.
San Jose, CA – More than 500 people marched through downtown San Jose for the annual May Day event. On one side of the street, hundreds of cars carrying Mexican flags and flags of the United Farm Workers Union drove by and honked in support. The May Day Coalition of San Jose organized the march and invited dozens of speakers from various community and labor organizations to raise issues important to their community. The community groups marched from Roosevelt Park to San Jose City Hall.
Minneapolis, MN – On a hot 87-degree afternoon, a large crowd assembled at the starting location for the International Workers Day march that was hosted by a large coalition of union, immigrant rights groups and other progressive organizations in the Twin Cities area.
El Primero de Mayo empezó como una celebración de la clase obrera y su lucha heroica después de la brutal violencia de la policía en el año 1886. Los trabajadores que manifestaron en Haymarket lucharon en contra condiciones de trabajo bien peor y por una campana de un día de trabajo por ocho horas. Los atacaron la policía, con muchos trabajadores heridos y muertos, muchos de ellos eran inmigrantes, resultado de un evento infamoso llamado la masacre de Haymarket. El estado de Illinois tuvo un juicio y ejecutó cuatro líderes laborales, siempre recordado como los Mártires de Haymarket. Todavía, el espíritu de este día, el primer Primero de Mayo vive y está celebrado alrededor del mundo cada año.
International Workers Day is celebrated on May 1. Around the world, workers have accomplished many great things over the past year that we can be proud of. The ruling class, made up of monopoly capitalists, have tried their best to keep profits high at the expense of the people during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we’ve seen time and time again that the people can rise above the obstacles created by the 1% and bring about real change. On May Day 2021, it is important to reflect on the past year. We must also renew our efforts to end the rule of the monopoly capitalists and replace their broken, failed system with a system that benefits not the few but the majority of people – socialism.
Saint Paul, MN – On March 20, around 60 people protested outside the Whipple Federal Building, which houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to demand an end to the war on immigrants. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) to mark two months since President Biden was inaugurated.
