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Away we go...

Minnesota Nice

As Minnesota faces a de facto federal invasion by the immigration agency ICE, community members are coming together, fighting back, and protecting one another.

Organizer Jason Sole is one of the frontline activists on the ground in the Minneapolis area. A formerly incarcerated abolitionist, he’s been a national restorative justice trainer since 2008, leading circles in jails, prisons, and community.

Ekō News caught up with Jason this week to talk about the protests and how people can help.

Ekō: What can you tell us about the situation on the ground right now?

Jason: Things are ambiguous. The people will continue to rise up while ICE continues to terrorize. They abducted a resident a few days ago as he was stepping out of the shower. We expect them to cause harm but we’re pretty organized here so neighbors are banding together to resist.

In addition to ICE, there are right wingers who want to inflame things. Their rally was shut down on Saturday but we must stay militant. We’re hearing that the national guards are here, too.

The community will find ways to overcome!

Ekō: How is the community working to support one another and push back against repression?

Jason: People are protesting, doing ICE Watch, sharing skills/resources, facilitating trainings, and perfecting our mutual aid work.

This isn’t our first rodeo. We held down a precinct for 18 days back in 2015 when Jamar Clark was killed by police. We’re leaning on our collective wisdom.

Ekō: What message would you give people watching this from overseas or elsewhere in the US?

Jason: Just know that we are under siege but we’re not wavering. We will continue to rise up for Renee Good, her family, and other residents in Minnesota.

Can you imagine a bunch of folks—who could very well be pardoned January 6th folks—knocking on your door for paperwork? It’s frightening for some to think about so we’re making sure that we can cover as many community needs as possible.

They’re trying to take over but we won’t let them!

Ekō: How can people help?

Jason: Folks can help by staying militant. Don’t fall asleep. We are under attack and will resist but plan, plan, plan. I haven’t seen anything like this in my lifetime but I want to ensure that we don’t see it again.

Our democracy depends on how we respond in this moment.

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