Northwoods Socialist Collective

The Global Sumud Flotilla is issuing an urgent international alert of a state-sponsored kidnapping and torture mission currently unfolding in international waters. This alert follows first-hand testimony from released participants confirming that Saif Abukeshek, one of two civilians forcibly taken by Israeli forces, was subjected to torture while in detention aboard an Israeli military vessel while still in Greek waters.  This constitutes a grave escalation and an additional war crime. Following the illegal interception of 22 vessels belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in international waters less than 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete, 175 civilian participants were abducted from 21 boats and transferred to the Israeli vessel Nahshon , where they were subjected to physical and verbal violence. Participant eyewitnesses provided harrowing testimony of Abukeshek’s screams echoing throughout the ship as he was subjected to ...

On April 7, 2026, David Menton of Solon Springs, WI, was visiting a friend in Superior when Superior Police pulled up. As David moved to go inside a Superior Officer pursued and tackled him to the ground before fatally shooting him. The following is an interview with Autumn, who was with David that night. David did not need to die. Alongside the community, we demand that Superior PD release the body camera footage now.  Contact these officials and demand the timely release of the body cam footage.  Superior PD Chief Winterscheidt: winterscheidtp@superiorwi.gov  Wisconsin Department of Justice: DOJCommunications@doj.state.wi.us   Special Agent In-charge Ben Pollberg: pollerbg@doj.state.wi.us   Superior Mayor Jim Paine: painej@ci.superior.wi.us   Superior City Council Members:  Nicholas Ledin: ledinn@superiorwi.gov   Jack Sweeney: sweeneyj@superiorwi.gov   Sarah Anderson: andersons@superiorwi.gov   Garner Moffat: moffatg@superiorwi.go...

The explosion of artificial intelligence over the past couple of years has been breathtaking. Seemingly from nothing, it has now become the carrier not only of Big Tech’s most unhinged fantasies but also that of capital more generally. The claims of its most fervent believers—that it will replace most human labor and that it will initiate a new age of unlimited capitalist growth—will inevitably fall short of expectations. But even if we won’t see multi-billion dollar corporations run entirely by AI agents anytime in the near future, the future AI capital foresees for the rest of humanity reveals itself in its new “satanic mills,” the AI data centers popping up like weeds all over the United States. Marx once wrote that mechanization under class society provides new weapons by which the ruling class can dominate the working class. AI’s increased role in U.S. and global capitalism Companies like Apple, Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Amazon, “all of which have staked their fu...

In what could be a portent for other counties and cities seeking federal funds for infrastructure projects, the GOP Trump government’s Transportation Department threatens to yank $7.7 million for five St. Louis County, Minn., road and bridge projects, unless the county drops its requirements that contractors sign Project Labor Agreements. And, given the strong union tradition in Minnesota’s Northland, the county board is—so far—refusing.  But it also faces the fact that $7.7 million is a lot of money for a rural county, and that it may seek more federal funds for other projects down the line, and face the same dilemma. The board scheduled a vote on the issue for April 7. Nevertheless, the Trump government’s demand “is union-busting 101,” said county board Chair Mike Jugovich, a Steelworker. “I don’t bust unions. I build them.” Members of the area’s Building and Construction Trades unions jammed the March 24 meeting of the county board in Hibbing to speak up strongly...

Dr. Tom Alter, a respected and tenured university professor, was fired by Texas State University (TSU) President Kelly Damphousse on Sept. 10, 2025, for remarks he delivered at a socialist conference in his capacity as a private citizen. After clips of his comments were taken out of context and circulated online by a self-described fascist streamer, they came to the attention of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who politically pressured TSU to fire Dr. Alter. He was fired without due process, in violation of both Texas State University policy and Texas state law. This attack is another in a wave of politically motivated attacks on professors and teachers as part of what is often called the New McCarthyism (referring to the Red Scare-era attacks on free speech in the 1950s). These attacks today are attempting to strangle free speech in schools and academia by rewriting history and restricting what can be taught to ideas that are palatable to the far right. Speaking about his termination at a...

This past Saturday was the No Kings protests, which took place all across the United States in 3,300 different communities.   It is estimated that upwards of 8 million people participated!   Similarly, here in the Northwoods, large numbers of folks turned out at numerous different communities.   The largest was in Duluth, where several thousand participated in a 2pm rally, and a couple of feeder marches which were held before hand.   Organizers estimate the running tally for the event may have been as high as 7,500.   We also feel it is worth noting that the Duluth protest had a significant number of union members present, including from the United Steelworkers, MN Nurses Association and AFSCME.   The second biggest was in Grand Rapids, MN, where over 1,700 folks turned out.   Almost a 1,000 turned out for both the protest in Superior and in Ashland.   Cloquet had an impressive 600 people. Hayward had a turnout of 445. Two Harbors had just ...