In response to recent deaths at the hands of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers, multiple grassroots organizations and student groups at the University of Minnesota are calling for a national shutdown Friday, Jan. 30.
The shutdown asks for people to strike by joining in a day of no work, no school and no shopping, to “stop funding ICE.”
The Somali Student Association, Ethiopian Student Association, Black Student Union, Liberian Student Association and Graduate Labor Union have all endorsed the shutdown.
“The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country – to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN,” the website read.
In solidarity with Minneapolis, Kent State’s Ohio Student Association, PSL Akron, Serve The People Akron and Akron Palestine Solidarity Collective are also supporting Friday’s shutdown.
They are also holding a protest at the gazebo in downtown Kent at 3 p.m. to send a message: “We’ve had enough and we are fighting back!”
In addition to the shutdown, organizations such as 50501, are holding a second national day of action this weekend with ICE Out of Everywhere protests on Jan. 31.
They are calling for justice for Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Silverio Villegas González, and Keith Porter Jr. by mobilizing nationwide to demand ICE permanently out of cities, neighborhoods and communities.
“Hit the streets. Make noise. Enough is enough,” the 50501 movement shared in an Instagram post.
Savana Capp is a hard beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
