As the world watches the chaos and conflict in the Middle East become deadlier, citizens in the Twin Cities are doing their best to process what they are seeing. Local organizations such as the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Jewish Voice for Peace Twin Cities and the University of Minnesota’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have been active in creating events to call attention to how the United States is responding.
Community members have been taking each other into their arms as they attempt to grapple with the news from Palestine. The SJP has co-hosted multiple events around the Twin Cities, including two marches and two protests, one being at the Capitol on Oct.18.
“We’ve always worked with Anti-War Committee or AMP, and they take the lead with organizing the crowd, they deal with the marshalls and stuff like that,” the Vice President of SJP, Nesma, said. “On our end, we deal with the speeches.”
Organizers have brought in speakers from many different backgrounds to encourage the Twin Cities to stay active and informed on what is happening. Executive Director of CAIR-MN, Jaylani Hussein, was one such speaker who attended SJP’s protest at the Minnesota State Capitol.
“The most important thing we can all do is show up,” Hussein said to the gathered protesters last Wednesday.
Minnesotans who gathered to protest at the Capitol on Wednesday had both personal and humanitarian purposes in exercising their support of Palestine.
“As a Muslim, I stand with my brothers and sisters in Palestine, and over being a Muslim this is a human rights issue, these are people getting killed: innocent civilians, children, whole families being wiped off the registry. So I thought it was very important to come here and show my support for them,” a University of Minnesota student who wished to remain anonymous said.
Minnesota’s governor Tim Walz has shown support for Israel, lowering flags to half-mast on Oct. 14, standing with the U.S. in condemning Hamas, and posted his support on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, about President Biden’s speech announcing humanitarian aid from the United Nations to the citizens of Gaza on Oct. 20. Some protests have been intentional about sending their messaging directly to Walz.
“[It’s important] to show the representatives that we all stand with Palestine … just to show support and to help us get things done,” the anonymous protester said.
The Wesley Center has been a support for the Hamline community thus far. Chaplain Kelly Figueroa-Ray, Director of Social Justice Program and Strategic Relations Nur Mood and Rabbi Esther Adler held an event titled “Gathering Around the Crisis in the Middle East,” which gave students, staff and faculty an opportunity to write their feelings about the crisis and put them into a box.
“We felt the situation had to be acknowledged and addressed, but without inviting debate or taking sides at this point,” Adler said. “The invitation to write a message in the privacy of the tables and placing it in the box was designed to enable students (and faculty and staff) an opportunity to process and share their thoughts and feelings in a safe way.”
Head of the sociology department, Dr. Ryan LeCount, felt the nature of the event was an appropriate way for the community to come together.
“I really appreciate the intentionality about creating a space that was welcoming and open to everyone,” LeCount said. “I also think that given the rawness and the intensity of the pain many are feeling right now, it was also a good decision to both create this space — but also do so in a way that allows everyone to be able to express themselves in a forum that does not crowd anyone out and isn’t overwhelming.”
Adler does not know what comes next for events Hamline will host around the conflicts but offers advice for those who feel lost in the waves of information.
“Chaplain Kelly, Nur and I are thinking and collaborating on what we feel would be best. We take this very seriously,” Adler said. “Personally, I want to encourage everyone to keep open minds and open hearts, be kind to each other and also to expand where they are getting their information by reading a variety of news sources and not relying on social media. Kelly, Nur and I are all available to talk with students.”