Author: Conflict MN

Anonymous submission to Conflict Minnesota

This Halloween, some costumed hooligans set about causing some trouble in southside. A perfect night for the occasion; for a brief moment the mask no longer distinguishes between the citizen and the criminal, while there is not yet snow on the ground.

Some misfortune was visited upon a handful of boutique stores, while graffiti adorned the neighborhood and fireworks lit up the sky above. Candy was given out freely to those who passed by as well.

For a holiday without beginning or end

October 31, all year round!

From It’s Going Down

In continued solidarity with our comrades in the Bayou throwing down against the Bayou Bridge Pipeline homies shut down the Wells Fargo bank to remind those who haven’t divested that we haven’t forgotten them and will continue our collective disruptions until they do so. Wells Fargo funds genocide, construction of deadly pipelines and man camps.

This week BPP and the State of Louisiana has continued there oppression against our comrades by repeating the same illegal and down right dirty tactics of making false arrests and claiming false warrants for water protectors. We are glad to see our comrade released from the hands of the state.

Duluth City Council approved the purchase of riot gear the night before (Oct. 22nd) this action despite the public disapproval and disruption of several groups/AG’s of water protectors and concerned citizens alike. The police are amping up and preparing for militant combat against indigenous peoples for peacefully protecting their ancestral homelands.

With the approval purchase of riot gear tensions grow higher as the Duluth police department continue to harass Water Protectors especially during the bank shutdown. With a officer jumping up on a table to issue a singular warning of arrests to follow if the group did not dissipate. DPD tried to make an arrest on several members of the group and shoved people out of the hallway and into a corner to force a positive identification on one but with no legal standing and public observers they stood aside with clenched fists. It seems there long awaited riot gear could not come fast enough…

To all those defending sacred spaces, voicing your strength and taking collective action to those who oppress your communities we send much love and respect.

From Earth First! Newswire

At the past several meetings regarding riot gear, several groups and collectives such as UMD Students for Justice, Anonymous Twin Ports, Anti-colonial Land Defense, Black Lives Matter, ExPrisoners Organizing, Save The Kids, Standing Up for Racial Justice, Native Lives Matter, and many others were either ignored or merely appeased with the illusion of “public input”.

For this reason on October 22nd, in the positive spirit of collective resistance, several affinity groups of many different demographics came together in a last ditch effort to stop the Duluth city council from going through with a decision that was already made long ago. When all other legal avenues of opposition were exhausted, direct action was necessary to both act as a point of unity and to resist the city’s oppressive policy. During the city council meeting, a section of the community disrupted and halted the proceedings with art, chants, and music. This was our last attempt to stop the purchase of riot gear that will only be used to further terrorize and brutalize marginalized communities on stolen native land.

There are several reasons it was necessary for that meeting to be disrupted, mainly the racist colonial history of the police, the consent and even approval of white supremacy by the Duluth Police Department (DPD), and the lack of real say the people have over the purchase of the riot gear, even amidst mass public outcry.

Beginning with the racist colonial history of the police, it is essential to recognize that police have not been a permanent fixture in history. There were people on this continent before the concept of public punitive measures was introduced by colonizers. Even now, indigenous people, along with people of color and low income people, are the most targeted by the police, yet had the least amount of say in the issue, in fact facing repression from both the city and other racist people who do not want to lose their stranglehold on the political process. The riot gear proposal and acquisition was an obvious response from the city to the indigenous led struggle against Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline that has been going on for several years, therefore adding another layer of racism onto this proposal.

Our collectives are quite obviously just a few of many organizing for liberation, each of which play different roles in the global movement to end patriarchy, white supremacy, capitalism, and state terrorism. Given that each organization has its own means to this common end, its critical that we all unite and remain in true solidarity with each other regardless of what means are chosen. Many important collectives and organizations attempt to be the face of a movement which has the effect of creating loyalty to a groups name, a group leader or ones position within a group, rather than remaining loyal to the struggle to liberate the earth and its children. Any collective or organization that condemns taking any means necessary in the struggle for all life on earth is a lethal arm to be used by the State to further terrorize and brutalize those of us who are willing to do something that is actually effective.

Many of us wear masks to show & embody collective identity, whilst still celebrating each other’s ancestral roots; the issues at hand affect the whole community, not just any one individual or sole group; we want to uplift each other’s voices & protect our freedom of expression, not our egos!

We are calling for a re-call on the purchase of riot gear, & a statewide ban on racist resource colonial extractive industries & projects such as mines & pipelines, & we are calling for Duluth to acknowledge & protect trans rights & existence, as well as the rights & existence of undocumented peoples… Duluth should be a sanctuary city!

From Earth First! Newswire

Early October 18th, a crew of Indigenous & non-Indigenous comrades under the direction of Ojibwe elders built more waganogans on the Line 3 pipeline route, somewhere in northern Minnesota.

These are always intended as positive places to gather in prayer & feast, & positive resistance against racist resource extraction, whilst simultaneously practicing ancient cultural traditions that existed both BEFORE & after treaties were signed, but are also now supposed to be legally protected by treaties for Indigenous peoples of those treaty territories.

While racist resource extraction continues, continue to expect our resistance day and night. Please help our resistance by doing solidarity actions wherever you are!

We aren’t just fighting a black snake, we are fighting cultural genocide!

We aren’t just fighting for one piece of land, we are fighting for the reclamation of all Indigenous lands, & the future of mother earth!

No Enbridge! No Line 3! No KXL! No MVP!

No Kinder Morgan! No ETP! No Bayou Bridge!

Donate to support Anti-colonial Land Defense here.

From It’s Going Down

A banner stating, “NO MORE MMIW” [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women] was dropped off an overpass by a collective of indigenous and non-indigenous Water Protectors in Duluth on Indigenous People’s Day, October 8th, 2018, calling for an end to the terrible epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous womxn!

The banner hung boldly over the highway overpass for several hours until removed by so-called ‘ law enforcement’… Duluth is sadly the capital for sex trafficking and missing & murdered indigenous womxn on this part of Turtle Island, and we must fight back for our stolen sisters!

Infrastructure like pipelines, mines, refineries, mega-highways, dumps, factories, and industrial agriculture falls under the category of racist resource colonial extractive industries, and they are destroying the collective future of our planet and are largely responsible for womxn/indigenous women going missing and murdered near their work sites and affiliated areas, entities, and businesses.

This will NOT be accepted, and will NOT be taken anymore!

Entities such as US Bank and Wells Fargo—to name a few, are also responsible for funding this racist resource colonial infrastructure, thus funding cultural genocide of indigenous people’s and their lands, and the continuation of missing and murdered indigenous womxn, and the people say, “No More!”

There is a general call to comrades and allies to fight and oppose these racist resource colonial industries and their affiliates, to reclaim communities, community space, and indigenous ancestral homelands!

This fight extends beyond treaty boundaries and artificial so-called “state boundaries”… This is a fight for all life and mother earth, especially against corporations! It must also be acknowledged that in the past, in conjunction with recent fake promises from “police,” their work has NOT contributed to the end of MMIW; this is something we must do as grassroots communities!

We need to honor women, womxn, and two spirits, trans, elders, all life and the children of the next seven generations! Our every-day work must reflect this!

From Earth First! Newswire

On the early, crisp morning of Indigenous People’s Day, October 8th, 2018, a collective of Indigenous & non- Indigenous Water Protectors & Land Defenders took action against Enbridge Line 3 by order of some strong Ojibwe grandmother matriarchs.

A traditional Ojibwe Waganogan was erected as a prayer lodge in the midst of Line 3’s pipeline path: it serves as a gathering place for prayer & resistance to Line 3’s racist resource colonial existence & projects.

The main roads leading to Enbridge’s pipeline access roads were also blockaded with the intention to cease Enbridge work activity on or within the pipeline route itself & subsequent buffer zone.

We consider any and all Enbridge construction & affiliated work activity to be serious threats to our water, land, and air, in conjunction with trespassing on Indigenous Land.

We will continue to advocate for & take Direct Action to stop this genocidal destruction perpetrated by Enbridge!

From Earth First! Newswire

Anti-colonial Land Defense & many other individuals from different groups united as a gathering of Indigenous & non-indigenous Water Protectors to stop Enbridge pipeline Line 3 construction on the Fond Du Lac Ojibwe Reservation; we shut down work all day! 
A ceremony was led & held down by local Indigenous women elders in the center of the road by the worksite, in conjunction with a soft-blockade to keep Enbridge out of the worksite to cease & desist all construction.
 We gathered with action, prayer, signs & banners to protect sacred water, wild rice, air & all of Mother Earth’s creatures for the next seven generations!


We aimed to maintain & create a sacred & safer space whilst stopping Line 3 pipeline construction, & will continue to do so throughout this & other struggles!
 Pipelines, mines, & other large scale racist resource colonial extractive projects & industries also create working environments that aid & abet the ongoing crisis & epidemic of missing & murdered indigenous women, so we will always act to end these types of colonial industrial projects.
 Opposing Line 3 & taking direct action to stop this & other similar projects is paramount to the survival of humyns & all of the creatures on Mother Earth; we are asking you to join our collective resistance wherever you are on Turtle Island in the continuation of direct action to stop Line 3, KXL, Bayou Bridge, Back 40 Mine, MVP, Kindermorgan, etc.!

Anti-colonial Land Defense has an action camp coming up in the NW Lake Superior bioregion Oct.15th–18th that is a two-spirit, trans & womxn friendly action camp that prioritizes POC/indigenous comrades! We are open to collaborating with other vetted individuals & groups; please inquire with us more at:
allcoloniesareburning@riseup.net

Thank you, miigwech, & wopila for your support of direct action to stop Enbridge Line 3 & all of it’s similar & related affiliates, investors, & other racist resource colonial extractive industries!

We also want to take the time to make a radical shout out in solidarity with the brave, bold & effective actions taken by comrades in the Bayou Bridge pipeline struggle who successfully shut down pipeline construction by climbing a 50 ft. crane, & having two others lock down to construction equipment!

Water Protectors & Land Defenders of the Ginew collective who shut down the intersection by Wells Fargo in Minneapolis (Oct. 4th) as we blocked the entrance to construction in Fon Du Lac.

Land defenders and warriors from the Great Plains Resistance in so-called Manitoba also successfully disrupted & shut down Line 3 pipeline work today as well & stood with strong hearts to get in the
way.

Comrades, we are with you & we feel the pain of the struggle all around us as the entire world is aflame, & you keep the fires lit inside each of us in all corners of Turtle Island resisting racist resource colonialism!

In Struggle for a better world against racist resource colonialism where grassroots Indigenous people continue to reclaim & protect their territories,

Anti-colonial Land Defense

From Earth First! Newswire

On Thursday Morning, October 4, water protectors erected a tripod and tipi in front of the Wells Fargo building in protest of an upcoming $1.48 billion dollar credit renewal to Canadian-based Enbridge, Inc. Enbridge is behind Line 3, a nearly 1M barrel per day tar sands pipeline it wants to send through Anishinaabe treaty territories, the Mississippi River headwaters, wetlands, and the Great Lakes.

Ongoing divestment efforts have cost financial backers of fossil fuel infrastructure projects billions of dollars in the last two years, coming out of a groundswell of resistance against the Dakota Access Pipeline and the human rights abuses that occurred during its construction. Wells Fargo is one of three major financiers of the upcoming credit facility to Enbridge – the others are Chase and Credit Agricole.

One water protector was atop the tripod constructed, saying, “I am here in solidarity with the Anishinaabe peoples and protection the water for future generations. We cannot let these companies put our futures on the line any longer. Expansion of fossil fuels must end. Drinking water is a human right. Wells Fargo, stop funding genocide.”

Anonymous submission to Conflict Minnesota

At least a few times in the month of September, the so-called “Pioneers” statute was repainted in red. Bright lights nearly also were covered in red during at least one occasion. As long as these racist statutes remain on display here and elsewhere, may they be toppled, repainted, dismantled and destroyed.

From It’s Going Down

Early Tuesday morning, September 18th, a group of indigenous water protectors from the Ginew Collective, raised a tipi and blocked a bridge at the headwaters of the Mississippi, halting work at a road expansion site for the recently permitted line 3 pipeline. While the tipi blockade prevented bulldozers and street paving machines from laying down new asphalt over the Mississippi, local Anishinaabe women held a water ceremony on the bank of the river offering medicine, prayers and songs. The action took place near a 3000 year old village and prehistoric hunting sites in Lake LaSalle where Clearwater county road 230 crosses the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

One member of Ginew declared “We’re here today protecting our water, our burial sites and standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters down south who are fighting the Bayou Bridge Pipeline. The Mississippi River begins here in the headwaters, where we are standing right now, and it ends in the Gulf of Mexico, in the bayous, where folks have been fighting against Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) for months, putting their bodies on the line for clean water and safer communities. We’re fighting Enbridge here, a different company that is also invested in ETP. Enbridge wants to cross over 200 water ways and drill under the Mississippi River multiple times to construct Line 3. Enbridge wants to put this new poisonous black snake where the river begins and turn this area into an industrial corridor. They want to poison our seed of hope for clean water and turn us into another alley of cancer.”

Many of the work trucks bore out of state plates and were contracted through the road company Central Specialties Inc. When asked what the construction was for one worker said, “We need to reinforce this bridge for pipeline equipment”. One indigenous woman pointed to the out of state plates and explained that “Extractive industry impacts indigenous peoples first and worst—“man camps” spring up in our communities to build destructive projects like Line 3, and indigenous women face increased risks of violence, harassment, and potentially life-threatening assaults while our communities are jurisdictionally limited in our right to prosecute offenders.”

Another water protector put it simply. “We will make it clear that indigenous territories are not sacrifice zones, and the tar sands machine must stop. Line 3 is Enbridge’s single largest project in the company’s history, and with the cancellation of Energy East and uncertain financial backing of Kinder Morgan and Keystone XL, this has become a fight that could cripple the industry while changing the narrative of indigenous peoples within mainstream society. Standing Rock planted seeds across Turtle Island and the world, we Anishinaabe in what is now known as Minnesota are prepared to fight and to stand side by side with indigenous and non-indigenous peoples alike in our work.”

Ginew (Golden Eagle) is a grassroots, frontlines effort led by indigenous women to protect Anishinaabe territory from the destruction of Enbridge’s Line 3 tar sands project.

Donate to Ginew and Line 3 Frontline Resistance

Anonymous submission to Conflict Minnesota

The first week of September, Antifa 161 & MASS Appeal answered an international call for a week of anti-fascist actions in the form of banner drops, distributing agit-prop, and other forms of demonstrating solidarity with communites fighting fascism worldwide.

Autonomous actions were taken by various entities. Banner drops happened in Minneapolis, Richfield, & Duluth along with other acts of claiming antifa zones. Several flyers and anti-fascist zines were distributed to free libraries across the Twin Cities. Several crews went on street cleaning missions and removed fascist stickers, and replaced them with anti-fascist ones.

The Twin Cities, Antifa 161, & MASS Appeal will not give space to the fascists (in all forms) that are trying to intimidate, incarcerate, or violate our communities. We have claimed our territory, and we will maintain and defend our zones.

We stand in solidarity with all our comrades that have been taking to the streets to fight the rising tide of fascism.

Sometimes anti-social, but forever Anti-Fascist!

– Antifa 161 & MASS Appeal