More than 30 Seattle restaurants are donating proceeds to support Minneapolis counterparts during Friday’s planned “Economic Blackout Day,” a protest against federal immigration enforcement following recent violence in Minnesota.
Organizers say the goal is to help Minneapolis restaurants close their doors for the protest or cover expenses during the demonstration. Local organizers at Spice Waala said they felt compelled to act after seeing weeks of protests and unrest in Minneapolis.
“I think we’re all seeing everything that’s going on in Minneapolis and how that’s their life right now, and as first-generation immigrants, we know the pain of feeling that we are unwanted or that we are at risk any particular day,” said Uttam Mukherjee of Spice Waala. “We’re going to take those proceeds and buy gift cards at restaurants in Minneapolis that we will never redeem, so they can take that money and give it back to their employees, give it to themselves for rent.”
Community leaders and protesters in Minneapolis are calling for an “Economic Blackout Day” on Friday, urging no work, school, or shopping in protest of recent violence and immigration enforcement actions in the city, including the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents.
“The reality is that there are reported sightings of ICE in Seattle every day now, so I don’t think we’re too far away from it being the next place that they are very prevalent,” Mukherjee said. “I think we just need to try to be as loud as possible right now so we can prevent what’s coming.”
Sarah Courtney, co-owner of Atoma in Wallingford and a Minneapolis native, is among the participating business owners. “It’s heartbreaking and devastating to see a city going through what they’re going through right now, but also I think there’s a lot of beautiful things happening in Minneapolis. There’s an incredible neighborhood network that’s built organically by the people to help support their neighbors.”
Organizers plan to donate to businesses along the street where Pretti’s shooting occurred, as well as other Minneapolis businesses within the immigrant community. Local businesses plan to begin donating Thursday, with some continuing through the weekend.
