Protest

Forty-five anti-immigration activists held a small rally outside the state capitol on Saturday. Counter-protest from members of Anti-Racist Action, Bash Back, the Minnesota Immigrants' Rights Action Coalition and others was frequent, vigorous and hilarious.  ("America is not for Russians!  America is not for Germans!  Europeans go home!")  Update: New TC Indymedia video "The Full Story" at YouTube / Blip.TV / Quicktime

The cheerful crowd of immigrants' rights activists held a banner reading "Stop the raids and deportations".  In conversation with members of Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform, the activists repeatedly pointed out that all non-native people in Minnesota are illegal immigrants--Minnesota was taken by force by whites from the native people who lived here for centuries before white arrival.  One activist, under the name "Robert Erickson," managed to get on the list of speakers and riled the crowd into a frenzy about the theft, murder and disease inflicted by illegal immigrants... from Europe, upon indigenous populations.  In a "Yes Men" moment, the anti-immigrant crowd sat in silence, trying to figure out what just happened. (transcript below) *NEW* TCIMC Video | Video from Bluestem Prairie & I Don't Hate America (1, 2) | Fight Back News: Anti-Immigrant "Tea Party" Confronted | Robert Erickson on Facebook & Twitter

Counterdemonstraters rallied today at the Midtown YWCA on Lake Street after successfully routing neo-Nazis who appeared to protest a anti-racism workshop held by the Y. The peaceful group played music and listened to speakers throughout the day, after the Nazis fled the scene having tomatoes hurled at them as they went, according to one onlooker. (More photos below)

TCDP Coverage/video | More photos

Previously: Community Mobilizes in Opposition to First Neo-Nazi Rally in Minneapolis in Over a Decade | Uprooting White Supremacy Workshop | Callout | Minnesota Independent | MIRAC Statement

We, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc), strongly oppose this rally by the National Socialist Movement (NSM). We stand in solidarity with other groups that oppose the NSM's racism and homophobia. It is no coincidence that this fascist group has chosen East Lake Street, the heart of the Latino community in Minneapolis, as the location of their event.

UPDATE Saturday Afternoon: 4 Nazis who showed up leave after being confronted by 150-200 anti-racists. Photos: 1 | 2 | TCDP Coverage/video

This Saturday, October 3rd, 2009, the neo-nazi National Socialist Movement (NSM) has threatened to demonstrate against an anti-racist workshop being held at the YWCA on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. The NSM has declared the anti-racist organizers "traitors" to white supremacy.  A counter-demonstration, which promises to be large, has been called ahead of the Nazis planned arrival at 10am.

At a press conference on Friday, organizers from the ad-hoc committee opposing the Nazis spoke about the importance of not allowing them a toehold in Minneapolis, before fanning out to leaflet the neighborhood.  "We have a two and a half decade history of preventing neo-nazi organizing in the Twin Cities," said Dan Gannon, one of the organizers.  "To ignore them would embolden them.  It would give them a toe in the door." 

Protest Against Nazi Rally | Uprooting White Supremacy Workshop | Help Leaflet | Callout | Minnesota Independent | MIRAC Statement

Protest Flier