A democratic socialist vying to be the next mayor of Minneapolis attended a large Somali support rally in his honor.
Somali-American Omar Fateh, 35, won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s endorsement for mayor last month.
Fateh, a Minnesota state senator, held a rally alongside members of the Somali community in Minneapolis on Sunday night.
Footage of the gathering showed dozens packed outside of the Brian Coyle Center in the city supporting Fateh as he spoke alongside a group of backers.
Those who gathered wore t-shirts showing their endorsement of his mayoral race, some even wore stickers voicing their support for Palestine.
Speaking with KARE 11 last week, Fateh said his top priority if elected would be to protect illegal migrants from the Trump administration.
He said that Trump held a ‘trifecta’ in both chambers of Congress as well as the Supreme Court, which was causing concern for undocumented residents.
Fateh also said he would increase the separation between city police and federal immigration law enforcement, lessening their coordination with one another.
Omar Fateh appeared at a political rally on Sunday night in Minneapolis in his honor, flanked by his supports
Dozens gathered to voice their support of his mayoral run in the Minnesota city
He did stop short of endorsing the abolition of the police, an idea supported by the Democratic Socialists of America.
Fateh added: ‘That’s not going to happen, absolutely,’ Fateh said. ‘What we envision is a public safety system that works for everyone.
‘That means we have an accountable police force and a police force that is an important part of our public safety system, but making sure that when we call 911 we get an appropriate response.’
Fateh’s stance on many issues, including policing, aligns rather closely with Zohran Mamdani, the left-wing state assemblyman who is the frontrunner to become the mayor of New York City.
Like Mamdani, Fateh believes social workers can respond to certain 911 calls instead of armed police officers.
He added: ‘I would think that in this situation, we would actually have to increase public safety funding to make sure that we have all the alternatives fully supported and funded, to make sure everyone has their needs met.’
Fateh also expanded on some of the other policies he’d pursue as mayor, including a $20 minimum wage by 2028, rent stabilization for tenants and a land value tax to incentivize development on empty lots.
His platform calls for ending the practice of breaking down encampments if there is no other safe place for the homeless people to go.
Fateh has been likened to Zohran Mamdani, seen here, who is now the frontrunner to become New York City’s next mayor
He also seeks to prevent rental evictions, which he says is the largest contributor to homelessness.
On the issue of women’s and transgender rights, Fateh wants to make sure the city remains ‘a safe haven for people seeking abortions and gender-affirming healthcare’.
He denied that he is a radical, pointing to the fact that he’s been a bipartisan lawmaker in the state senate.
‘Some of the things I’m known for, like tuition-free college for working-class families, minimum protections and increased wages for rideshare drivers, the legalization of fentanyl testing strips, on and on and on, I was able to partner with not just a progressive wing but also the Blue Dog Democrats as well as Republicans,’ Fateh said.
Fateh is the first Somali American and Muslim to serve in the Minnesota State Senate. He moved to the state 10 years ago from Washington, DC.
His main opponent in the mayoral race is two-term incumbent mayor Jacob Frey, who has been endorsed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Senator Amy Klobuchar.
In late July, the Minneapolis Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) shockingly passed over Frey to officially endorse Fateh.
More than 1,000 party activists gathered in the Target Center to choose Fateh as their candidate.
Although the endorsement carries no legal weight, its important because the DFL is connected to the national Democratic party.
This means Fateh could get access to additional party resources to help in the general election.
