Minnesota students set walkout to protest Trump inauguration Jan. 20

Minneapolis, MN – On Jan. 20 students will be walking out of class at the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College to protest the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as a part of the citywide Resist from Day One Coalition’s call to action. UMN Students will rally at 1 p.m. in the front plaza of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs before marching to meet up with the city-wide Resist from Day One Coalition Mega March (FFI: https://resistfromday1mn.wordpress.com/)

The walkout, rally and march is being organized by a coalition of student groups at various campuses put together by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Minnesota.

Students are walking out to oppose Trump as well as highlight the continued struggle against Trump-like policies on campus perpetrated by those like University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and his administration.

According to a statement from walkout organizers, “Under Eric Kaler’s administration, students have seen tuition costs and student debt increase. Top-heavy administrators are making over $200,000/year – Eric Kaler himself making over $650,000 annually (more than President-elect Donald Trump will make). Progressive students have faced huge penalties for civil, non-violent protests on campus including some students almost having to go to trial in December 2016. All the while racist and xenophobic hate speech and actions against students of color, Muslims, immigrants and the LGBTQ community has been repeatedly defended as ‘free speech’ by the Kaler administration.”

Student groups are uniting around the following demands: No hate speech on campus, Cut administrative bloat, Drop tuition now, Diversify the university, Legalization for all, Sanctuary for all, Education for all.

The walkout is occurring in coordination with a national call from Students for a Democratic Society that has confirmed student walkouts on over 30 college campuses. For more information go to: http://www.newsds.org/2016/11/national-sds-call-to-action-student.html.