Community mobilizes to oppose neo-Nazi rally in Minneapolis
The National Socialist Movement, a homophobic and anti-semitic white supremacist group, is threatening to protest a workshop at the Minneapolis YWCA about white privilege and white supremacy. It will be the first public NSM event here since a 2007 book-burning, and several groups of Twin Citians say they plan to make that visit an unwelcome one.
The neo-Nazi group, which up until late 2007 was headquartered in Minneapolis, announced it will protest the "More Than Skin Deep: Uprooting White Privilege and White Supremacy one cell at a time" workshop being held Saturday at the Midtown YWCA. The event "is for white people who already have an understanding of white privilege and white supremacy (WP/WS) and want to learn more about how to dismantle WP/WS through embodiment work, education, visioning and practical action." Attendees will learn to "use critical race content and embodiment exploration to uproot ideologies of white supremacy and systems of white privilege in our lives."
And workshop attendees will likely get a first-hand look at white supremacy if members of the NSM show up.
A number of counter-protests are planned for Saturday. "The NSM has been holding racist anti-immigrant rallies in southern Minnesota, and now they are seeking to establish a presence inside the City of Minneapolis," reads a flier posted at the May Day Cafe in south Minneapolis. "They plan to bring their racist, homophobic, anti-immigrant, antisemitic message of division and hate right into the heart of the city. They must not go unopposed!"
On Wednesday, more than 100 Minneapolis residents attended an emergency meeting to develop strategies for the counter protest.
"We need to defend the vibrant, multi-ethnic diversity we have here in Minneapolis," Dan Gannon, an anti-racist community organizer, said in a press release Friday. "Our city must remain a 'no-go' zone where white supremacists cannot organize or build a movement with their hate speech and violence."
A Minneapolis resident who attended the meeting, Angelina Vazquez, said, "We're not going to let this happen in our city. This is an attack on our multiracial, multicultural community. We refuse to be put under siege by violent right-wingers."
Workshop organizers say they haven't organized a counter-protest, but they're happy the community is coming together to oppose the NSM.
Heather Hackman and Susan Raffo are organizing the YWCA workshop. "Susan and I are grateful that people are stepping up against these protesters," said Hackman. "We are also very grateful for the support of the Y."
"There are a number of people responding in a number of ways to this protest, and challenging racism and challenging white privilege," she said. "It's clear that this community is not going to stand for this."
Hackman says the organizers will address the crowd at 10 am.
The Saturday protest will be followed by an NSM-organized rally "against illegal aliens and communism" at the Veteran's Memorial in Austin, Minn., on Oct. 17, according to the group's Web site.
The Twin Cities Daily Planet is an edited news source produced by professional journalists working in collaboration with citizen journalists from the local community. We publish original reported news articles, articles republished from media partners, and some content (Free Speech Zone articles, reader-submitted blog entries, comments) that is moderated but not edited. Click here for a complete description of our editorial policies. Support people-powered non-profit journalism! Volunteer, contribute news, or become a member to keep the Daily Planet in orbit. |
We're people-powered journalism! Click on story links (below) to see more story information, and then email editor@tcdailyplanet.net if you want to report.
• 
Comments
The NSM are American Patriots
Why is it that any time a group stands up to illegal immigrants its called hate speech, or white supremacist?
You people are anti-American and the NSM is one of the only groups standing up for White civil rights in this Country.
I for one wish I could stand with these brave American Patriots today. I wish them the greatest success, and I pray to Jesus that the NSM or the Minneapolis Police Dept wipe the streets with these anarchists, communists, and other assorted freaks that come out to denounce these white men and women.
By counter protesting you are
By counter protesting you are giving these people the recognition they desire and the publicity they crave. Let them come and make fools of themselves, but by organizating counter demonstrations you are legitimizing their movement and providing them with the media coverage they desperately desre. This was exacly why the National Socialist Party of America sought to march in Skokie, Illinois, in 1977 and 1978. The unconstitutional actions of the Skokie City Council and the efforts of ACLU to defend the Nazi's constitutional rights, gave them exactly what they wanted = publicity and recognition that they could not purchase at any price. When the City of Chicago subsequently dropped it's ban on all political demonstrations in Marquette Park, the NSPA abandoned Skokie and rushed to march in Chicago. The damage had, however, already been done with the public recognition of NSPA as a legitimate political entity and untold regional and national news coverage. Don't make the same mistake in Minneapolis.
'Twas a beautiful thing
Four Nazis showed up at 9:30 (half an hour early) and were faced by about 150 anti-racists. As anti-racists continued to arrive, our crowd swelled to about 300. The Nazis had their hate-filled message completely drowned out by the crowd, with messages of "Nazis out!" and "No Nazis, no KKK, no racist USA!" They were only able to stay for the 20 minutes they were there because of their police escort. When they left, the crowd surged around them and chased them back to their car. In a very real way, the Nazis were run out of town. Hopefully they got the message and won't be back.
This was an outstanding victory for the community, with many people from the neighborhood coming together with long-term anti-racist activists to effectively resist white supremacy organizing. I'm very proud to have been part of this effort.
twas
a beautiful thing? oustanding victory?
Take away from the equation the racism, white pride, or black pride, it is racism no matter how you couch it, and the bottom line is :
Twice individuals went to exercise a constutional right to free speech. The first time they were physically attacked, the second time the police escorted them away from the angry, rabid counter protestors after 20 minutes, and yet these so-called enlightened socially conscious people consider that a great victory.
Apparently you have freedom of speech in this country as long as it doesnt go against mob rule. Mob rule won at those protests. They certainly werent on the side of the just. Just people, or heck, emotionally and intellectually stable people wouldnt attack and harass others for having an opinion contrary to theirs, no matter how antithetical. Fundamental rights to the citizens of the United States of America are being trampled on and these politcally correct sheep are cheering it on, because it coincides with their ideals. This is a loss for the United States, and a loss for freedom.
Post new comment