In 'followership,' Catholic Workers take action for Black Lives Matter

[rug]

People walk by a memorial to Jamar Clark March 30 in Minneapolis, where Clark was shot by police in November 2015. (Newscom/ZUMA Press/The Star Tribune/David Joles)

Brenna Cussen Anglada | Jun. 4, 2016

"Race traitors!"

"Shame on you!"

"Get a job!"

"I agree with you; I just don't agree with your tactics!"

These were just some of the phrases screamed with venom by passers-by at the 25 Catholic Workers who were linking arms to block the major intersection outside Target Field in Minneapolis during the Minnesota Twins' opening game.

Under the leadership of Black Lives Matter Minneapolis and Black Liberation Project, our mostly white group helped communicate two demands: first, that Target end its exploitative labor conditions for its mostly black and brown workers; and second, that the case of the killing of Jamar Clark, an unarmed young man who was shot in the head by Minneapolis police last November, be reopened, and an independent prosecutor assigned.

About 70 protesters attended the April 11 event, unfurling banners both inside and outside the stadium that brought attention to the recent decision of prosecutor Mike Freeman to not indict the officers who shot Clark.

While the frequently shouted refrain of "Get a job!" sounded absurd coming from baseball fans on their way to a Monday afternoon game, the phrase "I agree with you, just not your tactics" hit closer to home.

http://ncronline.org/news/people/creative-disruption-followership-catholic-workers-take-action-black-lives-matter