Free Republic

The Minneapolis City Council, in an 8-5 vote, refused to renew liquor licenses for two hotels accused of housing ICE agents, delaying action to seek greater ‘public input’ in the process. A public hearing for residents to complain about the hotels is scheduled for February 17. The hotels have been targets of protests because federal immigration officers were believed to be staying there during the immigration enforcement surge that brought 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota, when an agent killed Renee Good. Even the city’s attorney told the council that (1) the hotels complied with liquor licensing laws, (2) are eligible...

Mosques in Minneapolis will now be able to broadcast the “Adhan,” or public call for prayer, multiple times each day. In a move pushed for by Councilmember Jamal Osman, mosques will not need to apply for permits to broadcast outside their doors if noise ordinances are followed. “This is huge. This is huge to many people who call Minneapolis home,” Osman said. Prior to the change, many members of Minneapolis’ Muslim community relied on alarms and timers to know the proper time to pray – a practice done five times throughout each day. “In our faith, it is obligatory,” said...