"January is typically a slow month for retailers - a time for restocking, chores, and tax prep. This year, small businesses in the Minneapolis area have thrown that out the window. They're offering aid during heightened ICE activity; some will close for Friday's economic blackout. January is typically a quiet month at Mischief Toys in St. Paul, Minnesota. Owner Dan Marshall said he usually spends it cleaning up after Christmas, painting the walls,"
"This year, though, "that's not what we're being called to do," said Marshall, who co-owns the toy and game store with his wife and daughter. Instead, he estimates that the store has distributed around 4,000 3D printed whistles, which Minnesotans have been using as an alert and protest system against ICE."
"It's part of what Minneapolis-area business owners hope is a temporary abandonment of business-as-usual. Since December, the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Metro Surge has poured ICE agents into Minnesota. Rising tensions following officer Jonathan Ross's fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Gold on January 7 have further turned a normally chill month into a flurry of whistle-distributing and community aid."
Small businesses in the Minneapolis area have shifted from routine January tasks to community support amid heightened ICE enforcement and local tensions. Independent stores have distributed thousands of 3D-printed whistles for alerts and protests and opened their spaces for people to gather, relax, and process recent events. Business owners describe retail as a new form of community connection and raw engagement. Unions and faith leaders are calling for a January 23 economic blackout, and many establishments plan to close or participate despite potential income loss. Local media have tracked hundreds of participating businesses committing to protest-related closures and aid efforts.
Read at Business Insider
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