Athithi J, Minneapolis, MN
The killing of Renee Good by ICE officers sparked an emergency vigil at Portland and 33 on January 7. There were thousands of people filing into the streets to hear agitational speeches, holding candles and paying their respects to the deceased.
Demonstrators were filled with anger and the mood was electric. Almost everyone our RCA contingent spoke to was outraged and looking to get organized. Many agreed that to fight ICE, we need a revolution. One person, when asked how we could oppose ICE, even said we need a general strike. Another, said without prompting, “We need a revolution … and it must be violent.”
At the end of the protest, a car barreled through the street in frustration, threatening the lives of many protesters. One protestor, with whom we’d been discussion our revolutionary perspectives earlier in the evening, immediately began agitating with the perspectives he heard from us. He said that the ruling class has us fighting amongst ourselves when they are the real enemy.
Interestingly enough, a couple of the contacts we made first clarified by asking us “Are you with the RCA,” showing that we have already established a consistent presence in this city. Another indicated that she was planning on hosting a watch party for The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, something the comrades had already done three days prior.
The Communist practically sold itself at the demonstration, all we had to do was hold it up. It was clear from the mood of the demonstrators that the reformists and the Stalinists do not have the control they once enjoyed over the movement. At the end, the people who remained (which was still a sizeable number) started a spontaneous march through Minneapolis and even marched through Lake Street.
After we returned from the protest, we recorded a video for our social media calling on our periphery to march with us at Saturday’s protest. Fundamentally, this could potentially be the start of a mass movement. We need our forces ready for what is to come.