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Minneapolis General Strike Draws Nationwide Backing as Federal Agents Kill Alex Pretti

Organizers are translating strike momentum into lawsuits alongside continuous neighborhood defense.

Overview

  • Tens of thousands participated in the Jan. 23 walkout, with more than 700 businesses closed, schools and major cultural institutions shuttered, and a mass downtown rally in subzero temperatures.
  • Protesters targeted the airport and the Whipple federal complex with blockades and prayer actions; about 100 clergy and others were arrested at the airport as operations slowed for hours.
  • On Saturday, federal agents fatally shot 37-year-old nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti, whom eyewitnesses described as a civilian observer, with videos indicating a close‑range shooting.
  • Citywide mutual‑aid networks now run daily patrols from early morning to midnight to spot ICE activity, document encounters, and mobilize support through volunteer dispatch systems.
  • Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and the state of Minnesota have sued DHS, local leaders are strengthening noncooperation measures, and solidarity actions have spread to more than 300 cities, including a large labor rally in San Francisco.