Defend the MN 15 Event Held at the Duluth Labor Temple

On September 19 about 30 labor unionists and concerned community members gathered at the Duluth Labor Temple to hear Cal Robinet.  Cal is a union electrician and one of the Minnesota 15.  If you haven’t heard of them, they are a group of activists and union members in the Twin Cities who were arrested and charged with felonies alleging that they were engaged in conspiracy and obstructing ICE officers.

As Cal pointed out in his presentation though, the real reason for these bogus charges is that the Federal government was looking to make an example of activists who were involved in the epic mobilizations of around half a million people against “Operation Metro Surge”, which was ICE’s attempt to abduct and intimidate immigrant workers throughout Minnesota.

The MN 15 were arrested this past June.  They were grabbed in a series of absurd over the top scenarios which saw the activists dragged from their homes in the middle of the night with dozens of heavily armed Feds, with helicopters overhead.  It was an invented scene designed to make the MN 15 look like the terrorists they government claims that they are – though by having the invited press present and in position shows that this was all just theater.  To their credit, all of the MN 15 are refusing to be intimidated, and are standing united in their fight against these bogus charges.

Who are the MN 15?  They’re immigration solidarity activists, folks involved with sheltering trans youth fleeing persecution, anti-surveillance advocates and union members – folks who have a long history of organizing and networking with various activist causes.  And that is what makes them a threat.

The Labor Temple event was organized by the Workers’ Aid committee of the United Steelworkers Local 9460.  At the event it was announced that there will be an ad hoc group forming in the Twin Ports to continue organizing around this important case.  We urge folks to stay abreast of the MN 15’s case by following their website at www.minnesota15.org.  If you can, please donate to their defense fund.  And stay tuned for announcements about upcoming local planning meetings to defend the MN 15!