Several local activist groups organized a march through the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood Wednesday night to protest the two-party system of American democracy and the re-election of Donald Trump.
Before the march, speakers from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Climate Justice Committee, Minnesota Workers United, Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) spoke to a crowd of more than 100 protesters advocating for freedom of expression, equality and a departure from the two-party system.
Protest leaders held an assembly around 5 p.m. next to Mayday Books, a non-profit bookstore that collects and sells left-wing literature. During the assembly, a host of speakers from various groups from the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota advocated for their causes and a democratic society without a two-party system.
Among the speakers was Neil Radford, a member of the Minnesota Workers United.
Radford, who is also a member of a local teachers union, said the U.S.’ class struggles are similar to those marginalized people face globally.
“The determination and sacrifices of the martyrs of our movements have brought us to this moment,” Radford said. “The same is true globally, as the heroic resistance of oppressed peoples, from Palestine to the Philippines, deal incredible blows against the American empire every single day.”
Although the protest was primarily led by students at the University of Minnesota and leaders of local activist groups, a majority of the crowd was community members.
Joe Callahan, a member of the Solidarity Community in the Americas, said the election results pushed him to mobilize.
“I wanted to be here after what happened last night,” Callahan said. “It’s going to be ugly, or uglier, with Donald Trump for another four years.”
During the assembly, speakers from SDS said they planned to continue protests until the University divests from Israel.
Shae Ross, a first-year student at the University and SDS member, said the University lifted their interim suspension Tuesday, which was imposed as a result of their involvement in the Morrill Hall occupation on Oct. 21.
“They did conclude that we did not pose any ongoing threat to campus,” Ross said. “I think a lot of that was because we had professors writing in for us, we had petitions sent out by several different organizations and members of faculty and we had student call-ins and call-ins from across the country.”
Although their suspension was lifted, Ross said they and several other SDS members are still awaiting a disciplinary hearing, which will decide their official punishments from the University.
“It could be anywhere from just a couple of meetings with admin to an expulsion, we really don’t know what it’s going to look like,” Ross said. “Either way, we’re going to keep fighting and we’re going to keep making sure that our voices are heard.”
After two hours of demonstration, the protest ended around 7 p.m.
David Homolka
Nov 13, 2024 at 9:48 am
Silly rabbit there are 3 major political parties in America. Democrats, Republicans and MAGA.
KG
Nov 11, 2024 at 12:22 am
This article appears to discuss the two-party system, but it’s filled with extremist Palestinian rhetoric. What “heroic resistance” in Palestine is Radford referring to? On October 7, 2023, armed Hamas terrorists crossed a peaceful border into Israel and committed widespread, brutal genocide. These terrorists killed 1,200 people, including women and children, engaging in mass torture, rape, and hostage-taking, burning families out of their homes, and systematically eradicating entire villages. Radford’s words essentially legitimize acts of genocide and war crimes.
Shae Ross claims the interim suspension of Morrill Hall protesters was lifted because “we did not pose any ongoing threat to campus.” No threat? Ross also stated, “we’re going to keep fighting and we’re going to keep making sure that our voices are heard,” which certainly does sound like a continued threat.
We’re dealing with protesters who are driven by extreme, pro-Hamas terrorist ideologies rather than by any genuine commitment to education at UMN. Disturbingly, they are actively supported by certain faculty members (“we had professors writing in for us,” Ross said). The need for decisive leadership at UMN has never been more urgent.
RRR
Nov 9, 2024 at 10:17 am
They could become Independent Party members.
TA
Nov 8, 2024 at 1:25 pm
Looks more like they’re protesting the ability of women to go outdoors without wearing full body and face coverings.
Also, you’re not allowed to break windows or other peoples property because you imagine yourself to be above the law.
Hope that helps!
Reality
Nov 8, 2024 at 1:09 pm
The two-party system didn’t come out of nowhere, so it’s interesting to me that they chose to protest it after the election. While I agree that the Biden Administration (and by extension, Harris’) foreign policy as it relates to Israel and Palestine is monstrous and has resulted in an ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza, the in-coming Trump Administration campaigned on promises of being much worse. On that note, the choice in this election was between one problem and the same problem but exponentially worse, and by withholding their vote from Harris they chose the latter. It would be great if the party would listen and change their approach on this, but they likely won’t. Now, the IDF has prohibited Palestinians from returning to their homes in Northern Gaza, and in four years we’ll contend with the president’s conflict of interest developing a new Trump Tower in the newly-annexed Israeli territory that we called Gaza before it was turned into glass.