Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MAWC)

Website:

antiwarcommittee.org
Location:

Minneapolis, MN
Type:

Pro-Palestinian Group
Formation:

1988
Lead Spokeswoman:

Meredith Aby-Keirstead

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MAWC) is a an anti-war and Palestinian-nationalist protest group 1 that supports the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign to delegitimize the State of Israel. 2

Background

The Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MAWC) was founded in December 1998 when its 13 founding members protested the United States’ bombing of Iraq that same year. MAWC has organized protests, marches, educational forums, street theater, and civil disobedience actions to challenge what it calls the “injustices of [United States] foreign policy.” 1

MAWC has previously claimed that its headquarters and the homes of several members were raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2010. Following this, the group advocated against what it claimed was “political repression.” 1 Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks against the State of Israel, MAWC has organized and participate in several Palestinian-nationalist and anti-Israel marches and protests. 3 4 5

Initiatives

The Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MWAC) leads several campaigns and initiatives as part of its advocacy work. The group maintains a blog post forum that provides readers with updates from left-of-center movements as well as writings on current events including the Israel-Hamas war. 6 MAWC also publishes a newsletter providing similar updates. 1

Previous MAWC campaigns include organizing protests against the Iraq War and U.S. involvement in the Colombian civil war. 7 8 MAWC also supported protests against the NATO/G8 Summit in 2012, claiming the summit wanted to designate appropriations for war rather than for “human needs.” 9

MAWC maintains an events page on its website that provides updates for ongoing and future protests and marches in support of left-of-center causes and movements. 10

MAWC also supports the “Divest MN” initiative, a Minnesota state chapter of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement that seeks to isolate the State of Israel. 2

Protests

Palestinian Nationalism

In October 2023, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MWAC) organized a Minneapolis rally calling for an end to U.S aid to Israel following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks against the State of Israel. The rally was co-sponsored by the Minnesota chapter of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). Other participants included the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota BDS Community, Middle East Peace Now, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. 11

In November 2023, MAWC organized a Palestinian nationalist rally in front of the Minnesota state capitol at which protesters called for a cease-fire in Gaza during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.  4

In December 2023, MAWC installed several billboards around Minneapolis and St. Paul advocating for divestment from the State of Israel as well as an end to aid from the United States government to Israel. 12

In February 2024, MAWC was involved in a protest that took place during a St. Paul City Council meeting, interrupting the proceedings as protestors called for a ceasefire in Gaza. MAWC was joined by protesters from Jewish Voice for Peace, Women Against Military Madness, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and the Council on American Islamic Relations Minnesota (CAIR-MN). 5

In August 2024, members of Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MWAC) members claimed that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) had refused to meet with Palestinian families in Minnesota. MAWC representatives criticized Walz while further calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. 13 MAWC also participated in several pro-Palestinian protests outside the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. 14

Other Protests

In 2010, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MWAC) claimed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had raided its headquarters along with the homes of several of its members. According to a post on the website Workers World, the raids and subpoenas issued were to activists of several left-of-center organizations in addition to MWAC including the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, the Palestine Solidarity Group, the Colombia Action Network, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. The post claimed the FBI action was in response to said activists taking part in protests outside the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul and for alleged “material support” for terrorism. 15 In response, MWAC members called for and arranged protests denouncing the raids outside the local FBI offices in 19 U.S cities including Minneapolis, New York City, and Chicago. 15 16

In May 2024, MAWC endorsed a “Protest & Petition Delivery” to the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York City, claiming to support “Venezuela’s sovereignty” in support of the regime of Nicolas Maduro. 17

Leadership

Meredith Aby-Keirstead is a leading spokesperson for the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MWAC). She is a professor who formerly taught at Jefferson High School in Bloomington, Minnesota and teaches at Kennedy High School in Minneapolis as of 2024. 18 She received her bachelor’s degree in history, women and gender Studies, and Spanish from Macalester College in 1995. 19

Aby-Keirstead has made several allegedly antisemitic statements on her social media accounts while expressing support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against the State of Israel. She has also expressed her support for Rasmea Odeh, a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) militant convicted of involvement in bombing a Jerusalem supermarket in 1969 that killed two college students. 18

References

  1. About Us. Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/15c42-web-agency-gb-about-us/
  2. “DIVEST MINNESOTA FROM APARTHEID ISRAEL.” DivestMN – Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://divestmn.com/
  3. Mauro, Ryan. “Protests and Chaos at the Democratic National Convention: Leadership of the Anti-DNC Protests.” Capital Research Center. August 19, 2024. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://capitalresearch.org/article/protests-and-chaos-at-the-democratic-national-convention-part-2/
  4. Miller, Kristi. “Hundreds march to state Capitol in pro-Palestinian rally calling for cease-fire.” Twin Cities Pioneer News. November 11, 2023. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.twincities.com/2023/11/11/hundreds-march-to-state-capitol-in-pro-palestinian-rally-calling-for-cease-fire/
  5. “Protesters disrupt St. Paul City Council meeting, demanding cease-fire in Gaza.” Pioneer Press in Yahoo News. February 21, 2024. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.yahoo.com/news/protesters-disrupt-st-paul-city-233800318.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9tYWlsLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEzK0_NiW_so9pXSA_paloYCAskUJdLTpGqe4v4n1k1QjNbKjNmbnV9UdT3FY3K6YLNHrF-l1rT5MQILcjiLnGl7oZDRoUkRlyqP-keT838mYUmZ-ziUWqSXl0D_JiFtXwnX6I9z5tlEfMAMj6RFCSxfhrN37mvHbPSpLdOh4tj3
  6. Recent Posts. Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/recent-posts/
  7. Iraq. Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/in-solidarity/iraq/
  8. Colombia. Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/in-solidarity/colombia/
  9. NATO/G8. Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/past-work/natog8/
  10. Events. Anti-War Committee. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/events/
  11. Staff. “Minnesotans stand with Palestine.” Fight Back News, October 10, 2023. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://fightbacknews.org/articles/minnesotans-stand-with-palestine.
  12.  “Minnesota Anti-War Committee Installs Billboards Advocating Divestment and Ending U.S. Aid to Israel.” Anti-War Committee. December 18, 2023. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://antiwarcommittee.org/event/minnesota-anti-war-committee-installs-billboards-advocating-divestment-and-ending-u-s-aid-to-israel/
  13. Essa, Azad. “Anti-war activists in Minnesota: ‘Governor Walz has refused to meet Palestinian families.’” Middle East Eye. August 7, 2024. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/governor-walz-refused-meet-palestinian-activists
  14. “Protests and Chaos at the Democratic National Convention: Leadership of the Anti-DNC Protests.” Capital Research Center. August 19, 2024. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://capitalresearch.org/article/protests-and-chaos-at-the-democratic-national-convention-part-2/
  15. “FBI raids: Protests in 19 cities called by solidarity activists.” Workers World. September 26, 2010. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.workers.org/2010/us/fbi_raids2_0930/
  16. Karnowski, Steve “Hundreds protest FBI raids on anti-war activists.” AP News. September 27, 2010. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://apnews.com/52fc75eee1ba4252bd57ba2b8dc12f19
  17.  “Protest & Petition Delivery at the U.S. Mission to the UN in NYC: Defend Venezuela’s Sovereignty!” Alliance for Global Justice. May 29, 2024. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://afgj.org/protest-petition-delivery-the-u-s-mission-to-the-un-in-nyc-defend-venezuelas-sovereignty
  18. Meredith Aby-Keirstead. Canary Mission. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://canarymission.org/individual/Meredith_Aby-Keirstead
  19. Meredith Aby-Keirstead. LinkedIn. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-aby-keirstead-870808196/
  See an error? Let us know!

Minnesota Anti-War Committee (MAWC)

4200 Cedar Ave
Minneapolis, MN