Minneapolis residents pack City Hall, sing for eviction moratorium

Minneapolis residents packed into City Hall early Tuesday morning to sing songs of resistance in community, and to demand an eviction moratorium in Minneapolis. 

Formed at the start of the Metro Surge in January, the Singing Resistance of the Twin Cities does weekly actions and partnered with the South Minneapolis tenants union this week to sing in Minneapolis City Hall, raising awareness on the need for an eviction moratorium in the face of the Metro Surge aftermath, which has left many residents unable to pay rent. 

“I think music in general is such a great tool for connection, and Minnesota has a huge history of singing on this land for hundreds of years,” Minneapolis resident and member of the Singing Resistance, G, said. He joined the group ten weeks ago and has been a part of the actions since then. 

Singing songs that are easily teachable by ear, the movement is easy to join and is inspired by many other singing movements during times of protest, such as the singing revolution in Estonia, the civil rights movement, and more. Most recently, they joined Brandi Carlile during her Minneapolis show to sing on stage, encouraging the 15,000 other audience members to sing along. 

“The effect of ICE on our streets has caused so many people hardship, and they are not able to make rent this coming month, so we need an eviction moratorium now,” Minneapolis resident Maddie said. “Our voices are so powerful, and so powerful through song. I’m very inspired by the Singing Resistance, and we sound beautiful together.” 

According to the city, at least 76,000 people, or 20% of the city’s population, are in need of urgent relief assistance. While the City Council has approved $1 million in rent assistance, that is just a dent in the amount of help needed, residents say. 

“We need evictions to stop. People haven’t been able to go to work or pay their rent, and evictions are starting to pile up,” Mina Bravan, member of the Twin Cities Tenant Union, said. “Even if we fought against the imminent threat of ice on our streets, we are now facing the imminent threat and crisis that is coming of evictions.” 

In Hennepin County alone this week, over 200 eviction hearings are scheduled, and many residents are beginning to prepare for a rent strike if a moratorium is not approved soon. 

“This would create an economic crisis with rental debt doubling. With an economic crisis, landlords would actually be lobbying for us for once,” Bravan said. “They would be forced to demand what we have been demanding this whole time but have failed to be listened to, and use their power to influence our state representatives. When we create an economic crisis, that’s when they listen; They listen to the money.”

Izzy Canizares is a freelance journalist and contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.