The East Side Freedom Library condemns the actions taken by the federal government to indict 15 anti-ice observers, many of whom are union members. We are joining a larger response made by the greater twin cities labor community, including MFE, MAPE, SPFE, AFSCME, SEIU, the DSA, MRLF, SPRLF, the MN State AFL-CIO, and more. The federal government continues to target Minnesota because we refuse to sit by and allow our neighbors to be kidnapped, beaten, and killed by ICE. 

The 15 people named in the federal indictment are Isaac Auman Sant, Emmett James Doyle, Cameron Kennedy, Callum Robinet, Erik Davis, Brian Stillwell Apland, Kyle Wagner, Hannah Margaret Van De Water Davis, Treasure Cay Thoreson, Nathan Junho Kim, Alec Stewart, Douglas Misterek, Dustin Scott Beisell, William Morgan, and Natasha Rakotz. During their incarceration, the unionists sang together in solidarity to remind each other that they were not alone. 

The mission of the East Side Freedom Library is to mobilize community knowledge for solidarity, justice, equity for all.  Supporting our immigrant neighbors in the community and our fellow workers in the labor movement is an important part of this mission. ESFL’s Labor Advisory Committee is an important contributor to the Library’s mission.  We call on our community to continue to support each other, and if possible, to consider making a donation to the legal defense fund for our comrades. We also call on the federal government to drop these illegal charges, abolish ICE, and to stop harassing Minnesota!