Minneapolis, MN – February 2, 2026:
Topic: Student protests, teacher strikes, and the community backlash against businesses cooperating with federal agents during Operation Metro Surge.
How You Can Support Striking Teachers Right Now
Minneapolis teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) are striking and organizing in solidarity with immigrant families and students affected by the raids. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) and Minneapolis Federation of School Employees (MFSE) have linked labor actions to demands for safe schoo an end to ICE interference.
1. Donate to Strike Funds
Contribute directly to lost wages for low-paid ESPs (often women of color and immigrants themselves) through the MFT/MFSE strike fund.
Support immigrant family aid via UNIDOS MN.
2. Join or Organize Solidarity Actions
Attend picket lines, rallies, or walkouts. Check MFT’s website or Instagram (@mft59) for daily locations and times.
If you’re a student or parent, participate in “no school” days. Sunrise Movement MN coordinates youth actions—follow them for updates.
3. Provide Material Support
Drop off supplies at picket sites: hot drinks, snacks, hand warmers, blankets, and gloves (winter conditions are harsh).
If you’re local, volunteer childcare for striking parents via parent-teacher networks or MFT’s mutual aid channels.
4. Amplify Their Voices Online
Share posts from: @mft59, @mfseunion, @sunrisemovementmn, and @unidosmn.
Use hashtags:
#MPSStrike#ICEOutMN#ProtectOurStudents#GeneralStrikeMN
5. Advocate Politically
Call or email Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (612-673-2100 / mayor@minneapolismn.gov) and Governor Tim Walz (651-201-3400) demanding they end cooperation with ICE and fund safe schools.
Sign and share the ACLU petition protecting immigrant families.
The Context: Students Direct Frustration at CorePower Yoga
In Minneapolis, where federal immigration raids under Operation Metro Surge have already claimed two U.S. citizen lives (Renee Good and Alex Pretti), a wave of student-led protests has now targeted CorePower Yoga for what organizers call “complicit silence.”
University of Minnesota students, high schoolers from South High and other schools, and community members accuse the national yoga chain of allowing off-duty ICE agents—identifiable from viral raid footage—to attend classes at its Uptown location. CorePower’s refusal to ban federal agents from its premises has turned a wellness space into a flashpoint for broader outrage against businesses perceived as enabling ICE operations.
The CorePower Controversy in Detail
The backlash against CorePower began in late January 2026 after social media users identified off-duty ICE agents attending classes at the Uptown studio. These agents, masked during raids but recognizable in civilian clothes, were seen in videos from Nicollet Avenue and other sites. Students argue their presence in a community space normalizes the same individua for aggressive tactics, including pepper-spraying bystanders, misgendering observers, and fatal shootings.
When asked to ban federal agents, CorePower responded:
“We are committed to inclusivity and do not discriminate based on profession or occupation. Our studios are open to all who seek wellness and community.”
This statement has been widely criticized as tone-deaf. Protesters point out that yoga emphasizes compassion and non-harm—values they say conflict with allowing agents accused of violence against immigrants into shared spaces.
Recent Protests Have Included:
Daily pickets outside CorePower Uptown (with signs reading “No Namaste for Deportation Squads”).
Student walkouts from UMN and high schoo January 23 and 27.
A viral TikTok campaign showing empty studios and cal cancel memberships.
Attendance at Minneapolis CorePower locations reportedly dropped 40–50% in late January, per anonymous staff and review trends on Google/Yelp mentioning the controversy.
The issue ties into a larger movement: teachers, students, and unions demand schoo sanctuaries, with no ICE presence or data-sharing. MFT President Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou stated: “Our students are terrified. Teachers are on strike because we refuse to let fear win.”
As the city faces ongoing raids and investigations into federal conduct, support for striking educators is support for the entire community.
