Read on Twitter
NEW
'Who’s Calling to ‘Liberate Minnesota’, & Why?'
We deep dive into the pre-existing networks making up Friday's #LiberateMinnesota & recent right-wing protests across the country calling to #EndTheShutdown caused by the #coronavirus pandemic.
https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
Most of the several hundreds deep anti-quarantine, pro-Trump crowd intermingled freely in front of @GovTimWalz residence on St. Paul’s Summit Avenue without masks, disregarding social distancing recommendations meant to curb transmission of COVID-19.
https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
Elements of more hardcore right-wing orgs attended #LiberateMinnesota, incl III Percenter Militia members, Oathkeepers, & a man professing to be a member of the far-right ‘western chauvinist’ Proud Boys, who've been active in these cross-country actions. https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
These cross-country anti-quarantine protests have raised many questions as to who is funding and backing them.
From DeVos family connections in Michigan to the grifting Dorr family in Minnesota, we examine a bit of who's behind these ReOpen protests: https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
From DeVos family connections in Michigan to the grifting Dorr family in Minnesota, we examine a bit of who's behind these ReOpen protests: https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
At least 5 of the ReOpen Facebook groups are run by the notorious Dorr family, who’ve been called out for swindling fundraising money from conservative political causes by mainstream Republicans in MN seeking to sideline parts of there broader alignment: https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
A thread of tweets posted by social media researcher @3r1nG showcase the Dorr family's cross-country grifting scams, their connection to the pro-Trump anti-quarantine protests, as well as the campaign software they're using.
More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/ https://twitter.com/3r1nG/status/1251866834313326597
More: https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/ https://twitter.com/3r1nG/status/1251866834313326597
Marni Hockenberg (l) & Michelle Even (r) are 2 of the 5 'Liberate Minnesota' organizers.
Both were instrumental in reinstating the #PledgeOfAllegiance in #StLouisPark last year.
Both are also #Islamophobic & are continual protesters at @CAIRMN events.
> https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
Both were instrumental in reinstating the #PledgeOfAllegiance in #StLouisPark last year.
Both are also #Islamophobic & are continual protesters at @CAIRMN events.
> https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
'Liberate Minnesota' co-organizer Marni Hockenberg is close friends with Laura Loomer.
The text on the Instagram image from Hockenberg reads,
“dynamic duo, crushing jihadis across America”
They both have lifetime bans on Twitter for hate speech.
> https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
The text on the Instagram image from Hockenberg reads,
“dynamic duo, crushing jihadis across America”
They both have lifetime bans on Twitter for hate speech.
> https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
'Liberate Minnesota' co-organizer Michelle Even (center of pic) recently formed #MAGAsota, a pro-Trump federal PAC.
Connected to the Dorr family & similar to their org Minnesota Gun Rights, MAGAsota has ruffled the establishment Republicans’ feathers.
> https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
Connected to the Dorr family & similar to their org Minnesota Gun Rights, MAGAsota has ruffled the establishment Republicans’ feathers.
> https://unicornriot.ninja/2020/whos-calling-to-liberate-minnesota-and-why/
We spoke w 'Liberate Minnesota' co-organizer Marni Hockenberg who said they were "fed up with the tyranny of our Governor & we want to get back to work.”
She said it should be each person’s choice to get back to work or not: “Freedom is essential & fear is a choice.”
She said it should be each person’s choice to get back to work or not: “Freedom is essential & fear is a choice.”
Organizer Marni Hockenberg said the economy was doing great & then the “hammer and sickle dropped” when the #StayAtHome 
order went into effect.
She felt the shutdown & stimulus $ were efforts to get the people “used to govt handouts … they’re just really feeding us Socialism.”
order went into effect.She felt the shutdown & stimulus $ were efforts to get the people “used to govt handouts … they’re just really feeding us Socialism.”
Co-organizer Hockenberg said she didnt trust what's happening w the #CoronavirusPandemic & questioned the UN’s #Agenda2030 Immunization plan:
“you know, with Agenda 2030 and then you got Bill Gates & [Anthony] Fauci & [Deborah] Birx all in on it & this whole nefarious agenda.”
“you know, with Agenda 2030 and then you got Bill Gates & [Anthony] Fauci & [Deborah] Birx all in on it & this whole nefarious agenda.”
Not mentioned before-Hockenberg is also the State Director of the MN Chapter of the Freedom Speaks Coalition.
Founded by former FL lawmaker Bev Kilmer, Freedom Speaks Coalition recently ran a day long conference on how to “protect our kids from the dangers of the LGBT ideology.”
Founded by former FL lawmaker Bev Kilmer, Freedom Speaks Coalition recently ran a day long conference on how to “protect our kids from the dangers of the LGBT ideology.”
Co-organizer & founder of MAGAsota, Michelle Even, said that 'LiberateMinnesota' was for those who want to go back to work to have space to say it was time to re-open.
“There’s ppl out here, their lives are being destroyed by this shutdown but that’s never covered in the media.”
“There’s ppl out here, their lives are being destroyed by this shutdown but that’s never covered in the media.”
Michelle Even said people who are compromised, with health issues, or at-risk should be quarantined, “but the rest of us should be out there working.”
She said its “bull crap” to try to mandate how businesses should be run & Governor Walz “needs to end the shutdown now.."
She said its “bull crap” to try to mandate how businesses should be run & Governor Walz “needs to end the shutdown now.."
'Liberate Minnesota' co-organizer Doug Malsom said although there are risks, MN should open up right away & said shutdown is creating a “black market” because the “economy is organic."
He said if one has underlying conditions, stay home, & the rest should “live free, not scared”
He said if one has underlying conditions, stay home, & the rest should “live free, not scared”
Malsom ?'d the phase plan:
“My understanding is that we have to have less cases for 14 straight days to go to the next phase, but we’re going to increase our testing up to 5k tests a day. There’s no way we’re going to have lower [cases while] increasing the..tests we’re doing.”
![Malsom ?'d the phase plan:“My understanding is that we have to have less cases for 14 straight days to go to the next phase, but we’re going to increase our testing up to 5k tests a day. There’s no way we’re going to have lower [cases while] increasing the..tests we’re doing.”](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWPI_qfXsAcRjAm.jpg "Malsom ?'d the phase plan:“My understanding is that we have to have less cases for 14 straight days to go to the next phase, but we’re going to increase our testing up to 5k tests a day. There’s no way we’re going to have lower [cases while] increasing the..tests we’re doing.”")
“My understanding is that we have to have less cases for 14 straight days to go to the next phase, but we’re going to increase our testing up to 5k tests a day. There’s no way we’re going to have lower [cases while] increasing the..tests we’re doing.”
Another co-organizer we spoke w/ was III% militia member Randy Quick.
“I think the governor’s measures are draconian, they’re unconstitutional...illegal &...immoral. I think more people are going to die from his measures than are going to die from the virus itself.”
“I think the governor’s measures are draconian, they’re unconstitutional...illegal &...immoral. I think more people are going to die from his measures than are going to die from the virus itself.”
Some counter-protesters showed up. In contrast to the anti-quarantine crowd, each one we saw was wearing a mask & keeping a distance.
One had direct counter to what Quick said, saying that MN had low death “because we’ve done a great job” of following the #StayAtHome order.
One had direct counter to what Quick said, saying that MN had low death “because we’ve done a great job” of following the #StayAtHome
order.
“Capitalism is not more important than people’s lives.”
A counter-protester at #LiberateMinnesota spoke about being safe, the need for universal #healthcare, staying home to help the healthcare workers, & how he felt the govt should be bailing out the people & not corporations,
A counter-protester at #LiberateMinnesota spoke about being safe, the need for universal #healthcare, staying home to help the healthcare workers, & how he felt the govt should be bailing out the people & not corporations,
The counter-protester (seen above) said he felt this protest came from irresponsible comments from “Trump saying let’s open the economy back up”
He pointed to Smithfield Foods meat plant in SoDak that has over 600 positive cases of #coronavirus as why to not reopen prematurely.
He pointed to Smithfield Foods meat plant in SoDak that has over 600 positive cases of #coronavirus as why to not reopen prematurely.
Counter-protesters we spoke w/at #LiberateMinnesota pointed to the discrepancy between the police response to this event & a protest over police killings & brutality.
"Had this been a #BlackLivesMatter
protest, this would've been shut down already." https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/status/1252090576578715648
"Had this been a #BlackLivesMatter
protest, this would've been shut down already." https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/status/1252090576578715648
One of the counter-protesters agreed the shutdown is devastating & said the most impacted people are the ones w/out “adequate healthcare in the first place“.
He said he was fearful about the Black community being on the receiving end of many negative effects of the shutdown.
He said he was fearful about the Black community being on the receiving end of many negative effects of the shutdown.
“The governor shut down all the businesses right, he put a freeze on evictions, but as soon as he lifts that, imagine what eviction court’s gonna look like for Black people.”
Counter-protester at #LiberateMinnesota worried about what happens when the executive orders are lifted.
Counter-protester at #LiberateMinnesota worried about what happens when the executive orders are lifted.
Today a new plan was unveiled with the University of Minnesota & the Mayo Clinic to get 20,000 #COVIDー19 tests a day to those in #Minnesota.
The official amount of tests completed so far in the last month are 49,344.
The official amount of tests completed so far in the last month are 49,344.
The #coronavirus numbers from @mnhealth as of today:
Total positive: 2,721
Patients no longer needing isolation: 1,317
Total Deaths: 179
Total cases requiring hospitalization: 660
Hospitalized as of today: 240
Hospitalized in ICU as of today: 107
Total positive: 2,721
Patients no longer needing isolation: 1,317
Total Deaths: 179
Total cases requiring hospitalization: 660
Hospitalized as of today: 240
Hospitalized in ICU as of today: 107
Time will tell if any upcoming numbers will be as a result of these protests that are disregarding physical distancing.
Another rally to end the shutdown is planned at Minnesota’s governor’s residence on Saturday, April 25.
Another rally to end the shutdown is planned at Minnesota’s governor’s residence on Saturday, April 25.
The toll of this pandemic & shutdown is devastating many families & communities across the world.
Continue to follow us for contextualized coverage
It's your support that allows our #IndependentMedia! https://unicornriot.ninja/five-years-of-unicorn-riot/
See our C-Scan coverage here https://unicornriot.ninja/cscan-coronavirus-coverage/
Continue to follow us for contextualized coverage
It's your support that allows our #IndependentMedia! https://unicornriot.ninja/five-years-of-unicorn-riot/
See our C-Scan coverage here https://unicornriot.ninja/cscan-coronavirus-coverage/
