Ernst Thälmann Division of the American Party of Labor | Minnesota–

From Jan. 23 to Jan. 24, members of the Ernst Thälmann Division of the American Party of Labor attended three events fighting for ICE’s removal from the Twin Cities, and for the abolition of ICE. On the morning of Jan. 23, members of the Division attended the strike and rally at the airport, organized by Unite Here 17 and local clergy leaders. On the afternoon of the same day, they attended the march to the Target Center. On the following day, Jan. 24, a Red Phoenix reporter attended the vigil for Alex Pretti organized by the Minnesota Immigrants Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).

For the two events of Jan. 23, the Thälmann Division crafted four signs, highlighting different aspects of the crisis. One sign, reading “We only see one invader here,” was purely agitational, depicting the murder of Renee Good, inviting the viewer to label ICE the invader. Another brought a more political dimension, but remained agitational: “Walz and Ohara both endorse ethnic cleansing – as long as it’s civil,” with an image of school children being kidnapped by ICE agents sporting a red balloon. 

The two remaining signs were much more political. The first imitated a dictionary definition from “Billionaire Beginner’s Dictionary,” defining an immigrant as “a worker denied human rights and fair pay,” and includes the particularly fascist usages of “scapegoat,” “the enemy,” “easy target.” This sign aimed to emphasize the economic origins of the fascist crisis in the liberal status quo. The final sign depicted Ernst Thälmann, revolutionary leader of the German Communist Party in the 1920s-30s, framed with a quote from him: “We must crush fascism, because it represents the strongest attack on the working class.”

At the rally at the airport, the signs were popular, garnering interest and sympathy – parents and workers responded generally positively to the agitational signs, while veterans of the union movement took well to the more politically oriented signs. Several fellow protesters asked for photos.

The Ernst Thälmann Division led a contingent to the rally and strike at the Airport, which then joined a larger group of allies and sympathizers downtown. The Division expresses its deepest thanks to all friends and sympathizers who joined it to support the calls to remove ICE from Minnesota, abolish it, and protect immigrants. The Division learned many valuable lessons in organizing, communication, and propaganda, all of which it intends to use to further the cause of immigrants and national minorities in the Twin Cities.

The following day, upon the news of the murder of Alex Pretti, the Ernst Thälmann Division sent a reporter for the Red Phoenix to the vigil organized by MIRAC. The Thälmann Division expresses its deepest consolation and rage over the murder to the family of Alex Pretti, and vows to continue our work fighting for an end to capitalist, fascist violence in his name, and in the name of all martyrs of the capitalist state’s social violence.

With the lessons learned from these flash points of struggle, the Thälmann Division vows to redouble its efforts, widen and deepen its connection with the masses, and continue fighting for the interests of the working class and the working class alone. 

What kind of times are these, when
To talk about trees is almost a crime
Because it implies silence about so many horrors?
When the man over there calmly crossing the street
Is already perhaps beyond the reach of his friends
Who are in need?”

– From “Die Nachgeborenen” (“Those Born After”), by Bertolt Brecht

Categories: Immigration, U.S. News