Hundreds protest racism and antisemitism

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Over 350 protestors came together Sunday afternoon to stand against antisemitism and white supremacy in the community.

“We’re protesting to be heard, because no justice, no peace, because no justice, no peace, and the reality is it should not be our reality. It should not be our truth and this nightmare needs to end,” said Kenneth Reid, Director of African American Affairs at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The protest was organized in response to neo-Nazi stickers posted around Mankato and St. Peter earlier this month, but the rally’s call for justice expanded with the recent death of Daunte Wright, who was shot and killed by police in Brooklyn Center.

“Unless you receive that call, ‘Mom, I have been stopped. They want my insurance. There’s two cops, one is holding his gun.’ You can never understand unless, as a parent, you receive that call,” added Ayan Musse, a community member.

Reid stated, “An excuse of him being under the influence, an excuse of him having a criminal background, an excuse of him running away; we have way too many people who are out here doing the same things and their lives are still long, they are still walking to see another day.”

Indivisible of St. Peter and Greater Mankato hosted the rally, which saw many community organizations come together.

“I say this as somebody, who in many ways, people would consider successful: I earn over six figures, lots of degrees, lots of people report to me, but I still, to be honest with you, when I get in my car, I’m nervous if I see a police car behind me, and there’s something wrong with that,” mentioned Dr. Henry Morris, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, at MSU.

The march began on Monks Avenue before stopping at MSU’s Centennial Student Union Mall where school officials and local leaders led chants, gave speeches and shared personal accounts of their own encounters with racism and antisemitism.

MSU student Ciree Cox told the crowd, “I saw the KKK with my own two eyes, and to read about it is one thing, but to see it with your own eyes is very different.”

“The court is a court for a reason, because everybody has their due process in the criminal justice system. I want my people to have to have the same due process in the same criminal justice system,” Reid remarked.

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