Occupy Minneapolis
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Occupy Minneapolis (OccupyMN) is a grassroots collaboration that began in October 2011 with a series of
demonstrations Demonstration may refer to: * Demonstration (acting), part of the Brechtian approach to acting * Demonstration (military), an attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought * Demonstration (political), a political rally or prote ...
in
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
. Protesters have staged numerous
occupations Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...
, most notably of the
Hennepin County Government Center Hennepin County Government Center is the courthouse and primary county government administration building for Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in downtown Minneapolis, the county seat of Hennepin County. Before its c ...
plaza. Occupy Minneapolis is allied with New York City's
Occupy Wall Street Occupy Wall Street (OWS) was a protest Social movement, movement against economic inequality and the Campaign finance, influence of money in politics that began in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Financial District, Manhattan, Wall S ...
and is part of the global
Occupy movement The Occupy movement was an international populist socio-political movement that expressed opposition to social and economic inequality and to the perceived lack of "real democracy" around the world. It aimed primarily to advance social and econo ...
. The main issues that organizers seek to address are
social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...
and
economic inequality There are wide varieties of economic inequality, most notably income inequality measured using the distribution of income (the amount of money people are paid) and wealth inequality measured using the distribution of wealth (the amount of we ...
, greed, corruption and the undue influence of corporations on government. Occupy Minneapolis protesters engage in
direct action Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...
and use
consensus decision-making Consensus decision-making or consensus process (often abbreviated to ''consensus'') are group decision-making processes in which participants develop and decide on proposals with the aim, or requirement, of acceptance by all. The focus on es ...
in their general assemblies. Occupy Minneapolis began as a protest encampment at Hennepin County Government Center plaza on October 7, 2011, renaming the site "The People's Plaza". It was eventually cleared out by law enforcement agencies after members of the Hennepin County Board chose to create new rules restricting the use of the public plaza. As a result, police began to selectively enforce these rules and issue trespass orders against those who were found in violation of them. As a part of the
Occupy Homes Occupy Homes or Occupy Our Homes is part of the Occupy movement which attempts to prevent the foreclosure of people's homes. Protesters delay foreclosures by camping out on the foreclosed property. They also stage protests at the banks responsibl ...
movement, Minneapolis activists coordinated the occupation of homes threatened with foreclosure by US Bank and Bank of America, successfully preventing evictions and securing loan modifications. In early 2012, activists from Occupy Minneapolis helped establish th
Paper Revolution Collective
which is a decentralized global network of individuals who work to educate communities and promote conscious initiatives to preserve and restore both humanity and the earth. The collective continues to exist today and is composed of various cells which act independently in pursuit of a freer and more joyous world. They help coordinate and organize events around the planet to inspire change. In Spring 2012, protesters set up dual occupations of
Peavey Plaza Peavey Plaza is a park plaza that serves as a public outdoor space in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota at the south end of Nicollet Mall between South 11th and 12th Streets. The sunken plaza and its amphitheater were designed by landscape architect ...
and
Loring Park Loring Park is a park in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. History Loring Park was established in 1883 after the passage of the Park Act, which first created the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The park was first ...
in downtown Minneapolis. Organizers and activists were told that they could erect tents for the use of storage during the resurgence. Late in the day of the reoccupation police communicated to protesters that they were planning to selectively enforce ordinances derived from the Minneapolis City Attorney's office stating that protesters and their equipment were interfering with, and blocking the public right of way. This selectively enforced local ordinance led to an escalation that resulted in both arrests, and the excessive use of force by the Minneapolis Police Department. Occupy Minneapolis continued to engage in organized meetings, events and actions throughout the summer of 2014, with their emphasis shifting away from occupations of public spaces and towards addressing the foreclosure crisis through the Occupy Homes movement. along with creating active support networks for other locally-based movements and issues.


Occupations & Major Events


The People's Plaza

The initial occupation of
Hennepin County Government Center Hennepin County Government Center is the courthouse and primary county government administration building for Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in downtown Minneapolis, the county seat of Hennepin County. Before its c ...
's plaza in downtown Minneapolis on October 7, 2011 was under the name OccupyMN. The plaza, located off the
light rail station A tram stop, tram station, streetcar stop, or light rail station is a place designated for a tram, streetcar, or light rail vehicle to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Generally, tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, b ...
and adjacent to
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, was renamed The People's Plaza by rally organizers. Hundreds of protesters showed up at the plaza, including union members from
United Steelworkers The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, commonly known as the United Steelworkers (USW), is a general trade union with members across North America. Headquar ...
, the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is a labor union that represents approximately 775,000 workers and retirees in the electrical industry in the United States, Canada, Guam, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands; ...
,
UNITE HERE UNITE HERE is a labor union in the United States and Canada with roughly 300,000 active members. The union's members work predominantly in the hotel, food service, laundry, warehouse, and casino gaming industries. The union was formed in 2004 by ...
,
AFSCME The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is the largest trade union of public employees in the United States. It represents 1.3 million public sector employees and retirees, including health care workers, correcti ...
, and the
Sheet Metal Workers Sheet or Sheets may refer to: * Bed sheet, a rectangular piece of cloth used as bedding * Sheet of paper, a flat, very thin piece of paper * Sheet metal, a flat thin piece of metal * Sheet (sailing), a line, cable or chain used to control the cle ...
. On October 13, Occupy protester Melissa Lynn Hill was given a trespassing notice for writing messages in chalk in the Plaza. She was barred from entering the Government Center or the plaza for a year. Two days later, while acting as a legal observer for the
National Lawyers Guild The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is a progressive public interest association of lawyers, law students, paralegals, jailhouse lawyers, law collective members, and other activist legal workers, in the United States. The group was founded in 193 ...
and standing on a sidewalk near the Plaza, Hill was arrested. Her attorney successfully sued Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek for violating her constitutional rights. Sheriff Stanek ordered that tents could not be pitched in the Plaza and forbade people from staying overnight. Occupy protesters defied the orders, staying overnight in the plaza. On October 15, in conjunction with world-wide protests that day, a group of occupiers set up a number of tents in the grassy area on the south side of Hennepin County Government Center. The tents were torn down by the police later that night. Subsequent attempts to set up tents were met with force. Marches on October 17 included attendees from Minnesota for a Fair Economy,
Students for a Democratic Society Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was a national student activist organization in the United States during the 1960s, and was one of the principal representations of the New Left. Disdaining permanent leaders, hierarchical relationships ...
, and Socialist Alternative. Protesters occupied the
10th Avenue Bridge The 10th Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota and also in proximity to the University of Minnesota. The bridge historically was called the Cedar Avenue Bridge from days prior to the construction of the ...
, blocking traffic for about a half-hour. Eleven people were arrested on the bridge. After the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office indicated they would no longer allow signs in the Plaza, the General Assembly voted to allow the
American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...
to represent them in a potential lawsuit against the County. On November 4, Hennepin County employees removed signs from the plaza over the objections of the occupiers, who later replaced the signs, risking arrest. The next week, the
Hennepin County Board of Commissioners Hennepin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneapol ...
drafted new rules forbidding people from sleeping in the plaza.


Foreclosed Homes

Occupy Minneapolis was among the first cities in the United States to organize the occupation of foreclosed homes as part of the
Occupy Homes Occupy Homes or Occupy Our Homes is part of the Occupy movement which attempts to prevent the foreclosure of people's homes. Protesters delay foreclosures by camping out on the foreclosed property. They also stage protests at the banks responsibl ...
initiative. Occupy members worked with Neighborhoods Organizing for Change to prevent the eviction of several Minneapolis residents.
North Minneapolis The U.S. city of Minneapolis is officially defined by the Minneapolis City Council as divided into eleven communities, each containing multiple official neighborhoods. Informally, there are city areas with colloquial labels. Residents may also gr ...
resident Monique White was the first homeowner to work with Occupy activists, who set up tents in her front yard. She faced eviction after her home was foreclosed by US Bank and turned downed an offer of "cash for keys." Occupy Minneapolis occupied the home of
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
anthropology professor Sara Kaiser, located in the
Corcoran Corcoran is an Irish surname, the original Irish language form being meaning 'descendant of Corcrán'. The name itself is derived from meaning 'purple'. History The name Corcoran is an anglicisation of the names of two Gaelic clans. The f ...
neighborhood and foreclosed by
US Bank U.S. Bancorp (stylized as us bancorp) is an American bank holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and incorporated in Delaware. It is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, and is the fifth largest banking institution ...
. On November 19, 2011, Minneapolis police tried to evict the Occupy Minneapolis organizers housed there. Protester Michael Bounds (Panda) was arrested inside the house. After situating himself in front of a police cruiser, Devin Wynn-Shemanek was nearly run over, then arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. Officers then attempted to board up the house's windows, but were thwarted by protesters who linked arms and surrounded the house. Once the police left the property, 50 protesters reoccupied the house,
livestreaming Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but no ...
their actions. Organizers from Occupy Minneapolis joined with Neighborhoods Organizing for Change to help ex-
Marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...
and Vietnam veteran Bobby Hull save his home from foreclosure by
Bank of America The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank w ...
(BoA). While Hull owed $275,000 on his mortgage, his home only brought in $80,000 at auction. A BoA spokesperson said that Hull did not meet the guidelines for home retention. Occupy worked with Hull's neighbors and put pressure on the bank to prevent an eviction that was scheduled for February 17, 2012. In January, activists dressed as
pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
s delivered a petition to US Bank requesting the renegotiation of mortgages for foreclosed homeowners and demanded a meeting with US Bank CEO Richard Davis. The organizers eventually succeeded in securing a loan modification for Hull that allowed him to remain in his home.


Reoccupy Minneapolis

Spring 2012 saw a resurgence of activity for Occupy Minneapolis. Dual occupations of both
Loring Park Loring Park is a park in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. History Loring Park was established in 1883 after the passage of the Park Act, which first created the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The park was first ...
and
Peavey Plaza Peavey Plaza is a park plaza that serves as a public outdoor space in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota at the south end of Nicollet Mall between South 11th and 12th Streets. The sunken plaza and its amphitheater were designed by landscape architect ...
, nicknamed "Reoccupy Minnesota," took root on April 7, with occupiers voicing their intent to stay throughout the summer. Mixed messages were given to protesters when police spokesman Steve McCarty indicated that the
Minneapolis Police Department The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is the primary law enforcement agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is also the largest police department in Minnesota. Formed in 1867, it is the second-oldest police department in Minnesot ...
would allow tents to remain overnight in Peavey Plaza and Police Chief Tim Dolan later contradicted him, visiting the Plaza himself to pass out copies of city ordinances to occupiers. That night, protesters took to the streets, marching their tents through downtown Minneapolis. Twelve of the marchers were arrested and, during the fracas, a police officer shoved KSTP cameraman Chad Nelson, knocking his camera to the ground and injuring him. Chief Dolan indicated that Internal Affairs was investigating the incident. On April 10, members of Occupy Minneapolis went to City Hall and asked that Minneapolis Mayor
R.T. Rybak Raymond Thomas Rybak Jr. (born November 12, 1955) is an American politician, journalist, businessman, and activist who served as the 46th mayor of Minneapolis from 2002 to 2014. In the 2001 election Rybak defeated incumbent Sharon Sayles Belton ...
condemn
racial profiling Racial profiling or ethnic profiling is the act of suspecting, targeting or discriminating against a person on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or nationality, rather than on individual suspicion or available evidence. Racial profiling involv ...
and
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...
. Days later, Barb Johnson, President of the
Minneapolis City Council The Minneapolis City Council is the lawmaking body of Minneapolis. It consists of 13 members, elected from separate wards to four-year terms, via a ranked-choice method. The council structure has been in place since the 1950s. In recent elections ...
, introduced a resolution to close the city's public plazas at night. Council members
Cam Gordon Cameron A. Gordon (born 1955) is an American politician who was a Green Party of the United States, Green Party member of the Minneapolis City Council from 2006 to 2022. He was a co-founder of the Green Party of Minnesota and was called "the mos ...
and
Gary Schiff Gary Schiff (born February 3, 1972, as Gary J. Schiffhauer) is an American politician and activist who represented Ward 9 on the Minneapolis City Council. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he was first elected in 2001 ...
criticized the move, and the plan was sent to the Committee for Public Safety, Civil Rights and Health for a public hearing. Occupy Homes MN activists continued working alongside
Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is commonly known as the Twin Cities ...
area homeowners throughout the summer of 2012. In early May 2012, Occupy Minneapolis helped homeowner Monique White renegotiate her mortgage with US Bank. The activists also began another occupation of a foreclosed home in South Minneapolis. South Minneapolis resident Alejandra Cruz and her family worked with Occupy to secure their foreclosed home. While Minneapolis City Council member
Gary Schiff Gary Schiff (born February 3, 1972, as Gary J. Schiffhauer) is an American politician and activist who represented Ward 9 on the Minneapolis City Council. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he was first elected in 2001 ...
joined a rally at City Hall in support of the Cruz family, the response from the Minneapolis Police Department was harsh and the Cruz home was raided four times. Local musician
Brother Ali Ali Douglas Newman (born Jason Douglas Newman, July 30, 1977), better known by his stage name Brother Ali, is an American rapper, community activist, and member of the Rhymesayers Entertainment hip hop collective. He has released seven albums, ...
came out in support of the family and joined Occupy Homes activists in crossing police lines and being arrested. St. Paul homeowner Caylin Crawford worked with Occupy Homes activists and in November 2012 she was able to secure a rare deal from Freddie Mac that allowed her to stay in her home.


Police Handing Out Drugs

On May 2, 2012, activists with Occupy Minneapolis released a documentary video called MK Occupy Minnesota. The video documents testimony from participants that police officers in Minneapolis gave them cannabis as part of a
Drug Recognition Expert A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) is a law enforcement officer trained in a scientifically validated method to identify people whose driving is impaired by drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol. All DREs follow the same 12 step procedure c ...
program.


OccupyMN

Minnesota has spawned Occupy movements in other cities. Prominent Occupy groups have formed in
Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
,
Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...
, and
Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...
. Occupy marches and occupations have taken place in Brainerd,
Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
,
Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Minnesota, and the 5th-largest outside of the Minnea ...
,
Fergus Falls Fergus Falls is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,119 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History The falls from which the city gets par ...
,
Bemidji Bemidji ( ) is a city and the county seat of Beltrami County, in northern Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,574 at the 2020 census. According to 2021 census estimates, the city is estimated to have a population of 15,279, making it ...
,
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
,
Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...
,
Fargo–Moorhead Fargo–Moorhead, also known as the FM area, is a common name given to the metropolitan area comprising Fargo, North Dakota; Moorhead, Minnesota; and the surrounding communities. These two cities lie on the North Dakota–Minnesota border, on op ...
and
Northfield Northfield may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Northfield, Aberdeen, Scotland * Northfield, Edinburgh, Scotland * Northfield, Birmingham, England * Northfield (Kettering BC Ward), Northamptonshire, England United States * Northfield, Connec ...
. The original organizers and creators of Occupy Minneapolis were volunteer collective of individuals that are standing in solidarity with the Occupy Movement and helped work to connect Minnesota with the Global Revolution Movement. They stand with the principles of both Occupy Wall Street and our local OccupyMN networks. The Occupy Movement is an expansive network of individuals and groups working together to fight for economic justice in the face of rampant criminality on Wall Street and a government controlled by monied interests. We, "the 99%", are trying to wrestle government control out the hands of the "1%". OccupyMN is a people's movement. It is leaderless and party-less by design. It is not a business, a political party, an advertising campaign or a brand. It is not for sale.


See also


References


External links


OccupyMN.org

PaperRevolution.org
{{Riots in the United States (1980–present) 2011 in Minnesota 2012 in Minnesota History of Minneapolis Occupy movement in the United States Police brutality in the United States Articles containing video clips