Unicorn Riot | Minnesota Amazon Center Blocked in Solidarity with Palestine @UnicornRiot | Uploaded April 2024 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
Pro-Palestine activists blockaded an Amazon distribution center in the northwestern Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove as part of A15 Action, a global day of action against Israel's war on Gaza. Starting at 7 a.m. on April 15, dozens of activists blocked all distribution from the Maple Grove Amazon facility for more than two hours, delaying an estimated 100-plus shipping trucks.

Four different elements made up the blockade and protest with all four deploying simultaneously:

Car Caravan and Dabkeh Rally: Numerous cars drove into the facility and blocked all Amazon sprinter shipping trucks from leaving the facility for two hours. More than 100 vehicles were delayed as they generally send a fleet out every ~20 minutes. Participants left their cars parked in the driveway and had a rally with singing and the traditional Palestinian dance Dabkeh.

Picket: Reinforcing the car-caravan blockade was a small picket of protesters marching and chanting.

Technical Blockade: A blockade was erected in the semi-truck exit driveway of the Amazon facility where numerous trucks were stalled outside in the roadway unable to enter the facility for just over an hour.

Public Rally: A public rally was held on the corner with art and banners for people who wished to participate in less risky roles.

***

Full Quote from Amazon worker who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal: "Today is April 15th, which is an International Day of Action that was called to do an economic blockade in support of Palestinian liberation. People from around the Twin Cities area came together to blockade this facility and to stop work. We were able to completely stop work here for two hours this morning. No trucks were able to come in and out, which meant that the warehouse had to come to a standstill. This was a place of community and joy and hope for Palestinian liberation.

Last year, Amazon committed $7.2 billion to Israel. That money is going to technology that is being used to surveil and target specific Palestinians. It's facial recognition technology like cloud storage that the IDF uses. It's, the Israeli state relies on technology that Amazon is actively selling to them. As an Amazon worker, I think it's important to speak up against the actions that the company is taking. Not only are they aiding Israel's apartheid and genocidal regime, they are also mistreating workers. They are surveilling workers here. Workers at Amazon are overwhelmingly poor immigrant people of color, and they are targeted by Amazon because Amazon knows that they will take jobs that underpay them and overwork them.

We are standing here in the heart of the Empire. We're here because we are complicit. Places that we work for, things that we support with our everyday lives are actively supporting apartheid and genocide in Palestine. It's important to me as an Amazon worker, to make my voice heard and say, I do not support what this company is doing. And I am in support of Palestinian liberation. We have to stand up and say, this is not okay."

Full story: https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/amazon-blocked-wells-fargo-windows-smashed-on-day-of-action-for-palestine-in-minnesota/
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