Students, small businesses, and community members called on people across the United States to join a nationwide shutdown on Friday, January 30.
“Minnesota showed the country how to respond to these attacks. Now it’s time to spread the spirit of resistance across the country,” said Ibrahim Sugelleh, a Somali community organizer.
At a press conference in Minneapolis, speakers declared there should be “no business as usual while ICE terrorizes our communities”.
The national shutdown already has widespread support. Over 1,000 organizations initially signed on and cities across the United States are mobilizing and organizing to participate.
“The fight is not over”
“Victory is around the corner,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN).
“We are winning as a community and we are defeating fascism and authoritarianism right here in Minnesota.”
He discussed the demotion of ICE head Greg Bovino, who was, in his words, “de-ICEd by Minnesotans”. As more and more people in the US “wake up to this moment”, Hussein called on everyone in the country to be “Minnesota Strong”. The CAIR director said that starts on January 30, by not going to school, work, or shopping.
“We need a general strike and we need to continue the momentum here in Minnesota across the country.”
Rod Adams, executive director of the New Justice Project added, “We are winning … but also, we can’t take our foot off their necks.”
Minneapolis saw the murder of Renee Good prior to the murder of Alex Pretti. Adams highlighted the “fraudulent arrests” of beloved community activists Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen for protesting in a church where ICE field office director, David Easterwood, serves as pastor. Finally, he said Pam Bondi just released a list of names of activists that had been arrested on fraudulent charges.
Read more: Federal arrests over ICE protest in a Minneapolis church ignite fierce resistance from Black community
“We should make sure that on Friday, no one goes to school, no one goes to work, and no one goes shopping because the fight is not over.”
Minnesota doubles down against escalating repression
Less than 24 hours after Minnesota’s historic shutdown, where over 100,000 people marched through downtown Minneapolis, Customs and Border Patrol agents shot and killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti. The killing sent shockwaves throughout the country.
The National Guard was deployed to Minnesota and protests were forcefully repressed. Meanwhile, reports of deaths in ICE custody continue to emerge, alongside testimonies of horrific conditions in ICE detention centers.
Read more: Killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis a day after general strike ignites community outrage
Community members described the escalating violence of federal forces in their state and across the country as a response to the people’s growing capacity for mobilization, clearly demonstrated by the first shutdown on January 23.
“They wanted to intimidate us and spread fear in our hearts. But that isn’t going to work,” said Dahir Munye, president of the Somali Student Association. “We are going to continue fighting back.”
The post “We are winning”: Minnesota calls on the country to join January 30 national shutdown appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.
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