Protesters defeat anti-immigrant Minutemen

On Aug. 4, over 70 people turned out at the Mexican consulate in Chicago for a militant counter-protest against the

racist Minutemen. The anti-racist protesters outlasted and defeated the dozen racists who assembled to attack the government of Mexico.

The Minutemen were protesting Mexico’s involvement in the case of two border patrol agents who shot an unarmed immigrant in the back. Agents Ramos and Compean are currently in prison.

The Minuteman Project is an anti-immigrant group that conducts armed vigilante patrols of the Mexico-U.S. border. Racist and fascist groups that advocate violence against oppressed communities participate in their activities.

Showing up earlier than the Minutemen, counter-protesters took over the sidewalk and street corner in front of the consulate. They held their ground against the Minutemen and attempts by the Chicago police to silence and shut down the counter-protest.

The Minutemen were forced to the far corner of the consulate next to the consulate parking lot.

For three hours, counter-protesters chanted together until the Minutemen left in defeat: “Racists go home!” and “Minutemen/KKK, racists go away!”

The Chicago chapter of the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) mobilized for the protest, along with other immigrant rights, anti-war and social justice organizations. Participants included the March 10th Movement, Latino Union, Jobs with Justice, Committee on Pilipino Issues, Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism and International Solidarity MovementChicago.