Viral protest songs unify Twin Cities against ICE efforts

Singing Resistance bellows ICE protests

A unique form of protest is taking place in the Twin Cities, with a group using songs to voice their resistance against ICE activity. FOX 9’s Leon Purvis explains.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A unique form of protest is taking place in the Twin Cities, with a group using songs to voice their resistance against ICE activity.

Singing Resistance Twin Cities

What we know:

The group, known as Singing Resistance Twin Cities, began their movement in early January with 300 people holding a walking vigil in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. They sing together in churches, the community and outside hotels.

"We started coming together and learning protest songs together, a lot of songs that we already knew. And we said, ‘hey, we think we could use this in this time,’" said organizer Sarah.

Singing Resistance Twin Cities draws inspiration from historical protest songs, including those from the Civil Rights Movement and other global movements.

"We’re drawing on such a long history of songs as part of resistance movements, from the Civil Rights Movement, South Africa, Estonia, their whole revolution was based on singing in the 90s," Sarah said.

The power of viral videos

Dig deeper:

David Lohman has been sharing videos of the gatherings, which have gone viral on social media.

"I've been posting videos of all these gatherings that I've been to it, and have been stunned with how viral those videos have gone, and the comments that I get, hundreds of comments, sending love and support from Alaska, love and support from Alabama," said Lohman.

The singing protests have created a sense of community, with Lohman noting, "This has been so helpful for me in processing what's going on. To be able to gather with so many like-minded folks and to sing our grief and our anger and our hope and encourage one another."