The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis will close on Friday, January 23, to participate in the Day of Truth and Freedom protest, a statewide general strike organized by local labor unions and community groups in response to increased ICE presence in Minnesota. The museum is the largest institution to join over 300 small businesses, cultural organizations, and nonprofits in shuttering for the day, citing its institutional values of community care and staff support. The closure follows ICE's Operation Metro Surge, which intensified enforcement in the Twin Cities, and the January 7 killing of U.S. citizen Renée Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, which sparked nationwide protests and lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security.
This action matters because it marks a significant institutional stance by a major U.S. art museum in a political protest, reflecting the growing intersection of cultural institutions with social justice movements. The Walker's decision to close for a general strike signals that museums are increasingly willing to use their platforms and operations to take public positions on immigration and policing, potentially influencing other cultural organizations to follow suit and reshaping the role of museums in civic life.