Protestors BLAST MUSIC and DISRUPT ICE’s Violence

0:00I'm Mick Knutson with a Dangerous News Break, your source for Resistance News. A few weeks ago, you guys loved it when we shared a video of protesters across the US erupting into song during ice protests. Well, good news, we've got more. The resistance has doubled down on this tactic, filling the air with hope, conveying grief, and calling for change. In fact, harmonic activists from Minnesota are now training others across the country to fight fascism through singing. Very cool. Let's start at the epicenter of the fight, Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the singing resistance is flourishing. So there you saw protesters marching through Minneapolis on route to hotels where ice

1:11agents are staying. Here's what happens when they get there. Okay, so we are outside of the first hotel. This is where ice agents are staying. That last song is called Hold On, written by Heidi Wilson in 2018 after a teen and her community was lost to suicide. It has become a mainstay anthem in the singing resistance. Here are members of the first Unitarian society's justice choir singing Hold On during a protest

2:11against ice in Wisconsin's Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday. That's beautiful. Now this isn't all just happening by accident. This is very intentional and a lot of work goes into it. Here is Heather May, a social justice songwriter breaking down the strategy, then we'll play you some more songs. Let's talk about how music is being used for the resistance here in Minneapolis. My name is Heather May. I am a social justice songwriter based out of National Tennessee. I'm a song chant later an activist. I flew up to Minneapolis to let the hand, but also to learn from the incredible people who are leading the resistance here in Minneapolis. As a person who uses music to activate and get people into the movement, I like to

3:12say that music is a soft lead into the resistance. Minneapolis is doing an amazing job at that. One of the first things I did when I arrived put out a call about who is using music for fighting ice. And what I found was that there are different types of groups doing very different types of work. You have groups for their own block, gather in a street corner, walking down their streets and singing songs of hope to their neighbors who are sheltering in place. You have hip-hop artists, punk bands, folk songwriters who are writing new songs for the movement, taking them to the street and then singing them at protests. Groups like Twin Cities, United performers, I have worked with them. I have met with them. Stay together. Our uniting as musicians put on events that are funraisers for mutual aid programs. I connected with the singing resistance Twin Cities, really beautiful, being a part of their resistance work grounded in non-violence, communal singing. You do not have to be a Beyonce to be a part of them. And then there are the people who are singing outside of the hotels that are housing ice. And what I might just look like, people just making noise up. Without going into too much detail, I will say there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work you are going to see.

4:13And by far, the most successful and widespread videos from these wide-awaited ones that have bands. The ones that have drummers. Their famous brass band here in Minneapolis called Brass Solidarity that is showing up and making noise. If you are a musician, you should definitely put your eyes on Minneapolis and watch the way that music is being used. And see, is there a way for you to mirror that in your town if ice shows up when they show up? Amazing. Thank you for your work, Heather. She mentioned Brass Solidarity in her video. Here they are leading a rally on a frozen lake, which is so Minnesota. That's so cool.

5:33Now check out the Resistance Revival Chorus in New York City. This is very moving. Well, but guess what? Sometimes you don't need a whole band or a whole choir to bring music to your protest. You just need one voice. Here's Carrie Payne.

6:44Awesome. If you want to bring music to your community events and protest, the good folks at the Singing Resistance in Minneapolis have created a toolkit and a songbook for you. They're also holding virtual trainings. Go check them out and let's all raise our voices against tyranny and oppression. Thank you for joining us today. Please like, subscribe and click the little bell so that you get notified every time we release a new episode. You can give us a call on the people's hotline and let us know what you think of the Singing Resistance or sing us your favorite protest song, just style 503-212-4600 where you can leave up to a five minute message and you can remain anonymous or you can email us at shout at the dangerous ones.com, but you can't sing there. Here's to making it through another day in Trump's America, Godspeed, and keep resisting.