A wave of resistance has swept across the United States, as thousands of Minnesotans took to the streets for a historic general strike. The event, which saw tens of thousands of workers shut down hundreds of businesses and participate in mass rallies, marked a major turning point in the fight against Trump's authoritarian regime.
On January 23, community leaders, faith leaders, and labor unions came together to urge Minnesotans to participate in what they called a "day of action" - a day when hundreds of local businesses were expected to close. The strike was part of a broader movement to resist Trump's immigration enforcement operations in the region.
But just as it seemed like the momentum had shifted against the government, the news broke that another civilian, 37-year-old nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti, had been brutally killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. The shooting, which appeared to be a premeditated act of violence, is an unbearable follow-up to the most extraordinary day of mass resistance to Trumpian fascism to date.
The killing serves as a stark reminder why Friday's general strike must not be swept from our minds. Rather, it must be treated as a powerful new phase of resistance against Trump's regime - a task that can only be achieved by building on and repeating it.
On Friday, tens of thousands of Minnesotans braved the extreme cold to march en masse and shuttered a reported 700-plus businesses in a daylong general strike. The collective actions mark a breakthrough in the fight against American authoritarianism of our time.
The event was a culmination of weeks, months, and years of community care and abolitionist resistance. It was an outgrowth of networks that have been built up over time, with organizers like Jonathan Stegall and Anne Kosseff-Jones playing key roles in mobilizing the response.
As Sarah Jaffe noted, "The Twin Cities have had plenty of opportunities to build up these networks of resistance, networks that have only grown larger in the wake of Good's killing."
This is not a first for Minneapolis, however. The city has been at the forefront of resistance against Trump's regime, with residents taking action against ICE facilities and confronting federal agents.
The general strike was a crucial step towards creating a specific sort of political strike that takes aim at the very nature of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in our cities and towns.
As Kieran Knutson, president of the Communications Workers of America Local 7250 in Minneapolis, put it, "Nothing runs without the working class in this country." The general strike is a clear indication that workers will not be silenced or intimidated by the government's actions.
The event has also shown that mass social strikes and general strikes are necessary to stop Trump's forces. It is only through these types of coordinated actions that we can hope to create change.
The task ahead of us, in the face of the government's unending violence and cruelty, is to take up, share, and spread the practices modeled by networks in Minnesota. We need to build on this momentum and continue to organize and act against Trump's regime.
As Mariame Kaba said, "Hope is a discipline." By continuing to act against this murderous state force, and for each other, we prove our orientation toward a better world - even if it feels hopeless at times.
The killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti serves as a stark reminder that the fight ahead will be difficult and brutal. But it also gives us grounds to talk and organize seriously around general strikes in other cities, states, and nationally - with the specific aim of making our cities and towns as difficult as possible for ICE and other federal forces to move through.
It is only by building on this momentum and continuing to take action that we can hope to create a better future.
On January 23, community leaders, faith leaders, and labor unions came together to urge Minnesotans to participate in what they called a "day of action" - a day when hundreds of local businesses were expected to close. The strike was part of a broader movement to resist Trump's immigration enforcement operations in the region.
But just as it seemed like the momentum had shifted against the government, the news broke that another civilian, 37-year-old nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti, had been brutally killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. The shooting, which appeared to be a premeditated act of violence, is an unbearable follow-up to the most extraordinary day of mass resistance to Trumpian fascism to date.
The killing serves as a stark reminder why Friday's general strike must not be swept from our minds. Rather, it must be treated as a powerful new phase of resistance against Trump's regime - a task that can only be achieved by building on and repeating it.
On Friday, tens of thousands of Minnesotans braved the extreme cold to march en masse and shuttered a reported 700-plus businesses in a daylong general strike. The collective actions mark a breakthrough in the fight against American authoritarianism of our time.
The event was a culmination of weeks, months, and years of community care and abolitionist resistance. It was an outgrowth of networks that have been built up over time, with organizers like Jonathan Stegall and Anne Kosseff-Jones playing key roles in mobilizing the response.
As Sarah Jaffe noted, "The Twin Cities have had plenty of opportunities to build up these networks of resistance, networks that have only grown larger in the wake of Good's killing."
This is not a first for Minneapolis, however. The city has been at the forefront of resistance against Trump's regime, with residents taking action against ICE facilities and confronting federal agents.
The general strike was a crucial step towards creating a specific sort of political strike that takes aim at the very nature of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in our cities and towns.
As Kieran Knutson, president of the Communications Workers of America Local 7250 in Minneapolis, put it, "Nothing runs without the working class in this country." The general strike is a clear indication that workers will not be silenced or intimidated by the government's actions.
The event has also shown that mass social strikes and general strikes are necessary to stop Trump's forces. It is only through these types of coordinated actions that we can hope to create change.
The task ahead of us, in the face of the government's unending violence and cruelty, is to take up, share, and spread the practices modeled by networks in Minnesota. We need to build on this momentum and continue to organize and act against Trump's regime.
As Mariame Kaba said, "Hope is a discipline." By continuing to act against this murderous state force, and for each other, we prove our orientation toward a better world - even if it feels hopeless at times.
The killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti serves as a stark reminder that the fight ahead will be difficult and brutal. But it also gives us grounds to talk and organize seriously around general strikes in other cities, states, and nationally - with the specific aim of making our cities and towns as difficult as possible for ICE and other federal forces to move through.
It is only by building on this momentum and continuing to take action that we can hope to create a better future.
I mean, you gotta see the bigger picture here... The fact that it got shut down by the government's brutal response just means we need to be more determined than ever to keep pushing forward 
. We can't let one setback hold us back from achieving our goals 
. Instead, we should use this as a catalyst for even more organizing and resistance 
. And yeah, it's sad that Alex Jeffrey Pretti had to lose her life, but her sacrifice won't be in vain 
. We'll keep fighting for justice and equality, no matter what 
what's going on in minnesota is like the biggest thing i've seen in ages - a general strike with tens of thousands of people shutting down businesses, it's crazy 
This general strike in Minnesota was like, super powerful & historic, but now it feels all too real that there's still so much blood being spilled because of Trump's policies 
. Like, the fact that Alex Jeffrey Pretti got killed by federal agents is just devastating... it's a harsh reminder that we can't just take a day off from fighting back 
.
. But now that it's happened, I'm just worried about what comes next. Is this going to be a turning point for our country? Can we actually build on this momentum and create real change?
. These are the kinds of people we need more of - people who are willing to get their hands dirty and fight for what they believe in.
. We'll see what happens next...
is insane, i mean tens of thousands of ppl shutting down businesses in extreme cold is not easy to do... it's like they're saying "we won't be silenced" and i am HERE. FOR. IT 
but what really broke my heart was that nurse alex pretti got killed by federal agents 
this is a huge reminder of why we gotta keep fighting against trump's regime and ICE... we can't let our momentum die just because there are ppl losing their lives 
This general strike in Minneapolis has given me chills 
! The scale of the resistance is crazy, tens of thousands taking on hundreds of businesses at once 
. I mean, think about it, weeks/months of community care and abolitionist resistance all culminating in this one day 
.
. We need more of these coordinated actions to take on the government's violence and cruelty 
!
.
The fact that the momentum shifted so quickly from resistance to violence again is heartbreaking.
. We need to organize and support each other, especially in times like these.
...the question is, what's our response? will we let fear control us or will we rise up together? 
.
.
we gotta build on this momentum and take it nationwide 
. But at the same time, it's so sad about Alex Jeffrey Pretti. I mean, 37 years old? That's like, way too young 
. It just highlights how brutal and unfair this system is. We gotta keep pushing forward though, for her and for everyone else who's been affected by this regime