Protesters crashed a Minnesota House committee meeting on Tuesday, following a demonstration they held outside protesting what they called a “power grab” by Minnesota Republicans.
“Quite enough of that bullshit, we’re done with this,” a protester, identified as Amber Muhm with the Aliveness Project, stood up and yelled into a bullhorn during a House Public Safety Committee meeting.
WATCH: Left-wing protesters promoted by Democrat Rep. Leigh Finke shut down a Minnesota House committee hearing pic.twitter.com/Jbt2gVtz58
— Anthony Gockowski (@AntGockowski) January 21, 2025
The protesters were gaveled down and called out of order. “No, this is an illegitimate committee,” Muhm said. “You don’t have a quorum in the House. You know this is bullshit.”
House staff then cut the audio of the stream and the rest of the tirade was not able to be heard from the official video feed. The rant went on for over 20 minutes.
Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville, caught the protesters on camera. “Y’all motherf– burned the entire Equal Rights Amendment last session. I watched it happen with my own eyes,” Muhm yelled.
He then dared staff members to “drag” him out, saying he wouldn’t leave the room. “No,” he can be heard saying to Capitol staff asking him to leave. “I’m going to stay here until they leave or you can drag me out. Drag me out. Have fun.”
“Equal rights now” and “End the coup” the protesters, many of whom wore black face masks, chanted at the legislators.
“You don’t deserve to be here. You don’t and you know it,” Muhm screamed at the legislators and Capitol staff. “Y’all motherf– can’t take a trans woman yelling at you for, what has it been, 20 minutes?”
Amber Muhm with the Aliveness Project leads protesters in disrupting a committee meeting on Tuesday, accusing Republicans of conducting a “coup” for continuing to convene as the Minnesota DFL boycotts the session.
Video credit: @WalterHudson pic.twitter.com/0krY9Fvs7y
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) January 22, 2025
His ire was then turned towards Hudson as he began screaming in the legislator’s face and criticizing him for not using people’s preferred pronouns.
Prior to entering the Capitol building, the protesters gathered outside, playing music, holding signs, and flying a transgender flag. A flyer promoting the “Stop the MN MAGA Power Grab” protest said that “Trump and the GOP are directly connected,” and called for people to show up and protest “illegal Republican action in Minnesota.”
VIDEO: “Stop the MN MAGA power grab” protesters at the State Capitol pic.twitter.com/6Nlm18eJCA
— Hayley Feland (@HayleyFeland) January 21, 2025
The group of around 30 were outside for about 30 minutes but due to the cold, they moved inside, where they then disrupted the committee meeting.
Currently, the Minnesota House has only 133 duly-elected members out of a possible 134. Republicans hold 67 seats to the DFL’s 66 seats. One seat remains vacant after a DFL legislator was found ineligible to take the oath of office.
Republicans argue that they need only 67 members on the House floor to meet the requirements for a quorum and elect leadership in the chamber. Democrats say Republicans need 68 members to reach a quorum and thus are boycotting the legislative session to prevent them from doing so.
Tuesday’s initial protest was promoted by Rep. Leigh Finke, DFL-St. Paul, who said, “show up and let the Republicans know that these fascist tactics are not welcome.”
“A group of thugs sent by Democrat Rep. Leigh Finke today attempted to obstruct House Republicans from conducting a scheduled Public Safety hearing,” Hudson said in a statement to Alpha News. “They failed. They were escorted from the room, and the hearing resumed.”
Hudson said that Finke should be held accountable for inciting the incident. “The attempt, which included thinly veiled threats directed toward members, is a serious violation which should come with criminal and civil penalties for the participants and organizers,” he said.
Make no mistake – House Republicans will not be intimidated, we will continue to show up for work, and there will be accountability for the criminal extremists and the no-show Democrat legislators who instigated what we saw today.
— Lisa Demuth (@LisaDemuthMN) January 22, 2025
House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, wrote on social media that “there will be accountability for the criminal extremists and the no-show Democrat legislators who instigated what we saw today.”
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
