Posts Tagged ‘anarchists’

Thanks Occupy Charlottesville!

Posted: November 15, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Last night, 4 members of the Wingnut headed up to Charlottesville to participate in a solidarity march for Eric Scott and Hunter Singleton that was being put together by Occupy Charlottesville.

When the 4 of us arrived we were warmly greeted, and welcomed to their occupation. Folks there wanted to know about what had happened to Eric in Richmond, and what the situation was. Enough people wanted to hear that a Mic Check was initiated, and Eric spoke to the group. He told them about what occurred on November the 9th, and also of how the arrest, experience with jail, and pending charges made him scared in some ways, but made his struggles more important, and that he would not back down.

Hopefully we will have footage of Eric speaking later today, as well as copies of Occupy Charlottesville’s statement in solidarity with Occupy Richmond.

The group marched through the downtown mall, stopping twice to read statements- one in solidarity with Occupy Richmond, and one about the SWAT raids of Occupy Chapel Hill on Sunday.

Chants of No Justice No Peace, and Cops Here, Troops there, U.S. Out of Everywhere echoed through the downtown mall.

On the way back to the park, the solidarity march took the streets, with 4 black flags in the mix. Who’s Streets? Our Streets. Who’s Park? Our Park.

Afterwards, an occupier took the 4 Richmonders out for vegan pizza, and we got a chance to talk to folks in Charlottesville.

Thanks Yall!

Here is a link to a short news piece on last night’s march, which includes an interview with Eric:

http://www.nbc29.com/story/16040138/occupy-charlottesville-protesters-march-to-show-support

Update on Jeremy’s Court Case

Posted: November 14, 2011 in Uncategorized
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The next court date for Jeremy Hawthorne will be on February 1st 2012 (provided the world has not yet ended).

If you can come support Jeremy, who was arrested during a Richmond Copwatch First Fridays Patrol in September, show up for a 9:30 am court at room  305 (Judge Stout) at the John Marshall Courthouse located at 400 North 9th Street in downtown Richmond.

You can find more about Jeremy’s case on the Wingnut site and soon at http://www.richmondlegalsupport.org

Call to Support Local Activists!!!

Posted: November 12, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Hello Friends!

This is a draft of a letter concerning a pattern of discriminatory police repression and intimidation of local Richmond activists. If your organization supports the Occupy Richmond movement, the Wingnut Anarchist Collective, causes for social justice, or our civil rights in general, please consider endorsing, posting on your websites, sending out on your email lists, and sending the following letter to the addresses below:

letters@styleweekly.com, letters@timesdispatch.com, letters@richmondfreepress.com, editor@commonwealthtimes.com, editor@rvanews.com, editor@richmag.com, “Kevin/GayRVA” , news@richmondfreepress.com, news@timesdispatch.com, news@wric.com, newstips@wtvr.com, news@wrir.org, newsroom@nbc12.com, Reva.trammell@richmondgov.com, “Robertson, Ellen F. – Council Member” , bruce.tyler@richmondgov.com, Marty.Jewell@richmondgov.com, charles.samuels@richmondgov.com, Kathy.graziano@richmondgov.com, ASKTHEMAYOR@richmondgov.com, “chris hilbert” , doug.conner@richmondgov.com, cynthia.newbille@richmondgov.com, BRYAN.NORWOOD@RICHMONDGOV.COM

Get the word out and help support local organizers! If you have any questions or concerns please get in touch at wingnut_collective@yahoo.com

Thank You!

To Whom It May Concern:

We the undersigned would like to express our concern that members of the Richmond Police Department may be singling out a group of Richmond activists for harassment. Specifically Richmond’s anarchist community, including the Wingnut Anarchist Collective.

The Wingnut Anarchist Collective is an anarchist organization based in Richmond’s Southern Barton Heights neighborhood on the Northside. Its members are involved in helping to feed homeless people through their support of the free weekly Food Not Bombs meal in Monroe Park, facilitating a neighborhood grocery distribution, and encouraging correspondence with prisoners. They are also active in local anti-war, civil rights, LGBTQ, and womens reproductive freedom movements.

Wingnuts also participate in a program called CopWatch, in which volunteers observe and record police activity and watch for abuses. The program has been particularly active during the First Fridays art walk, which has seen encounters between police officers and Black youth.

While participating in September’s First Friday monthly CopWatch patrol, Jeremy Hawthorne, a member of the Wingnut Anarchist Collective, was arrested and is currently awaiting trial on fallacious charges.

On Nov. 9, two Richmond anarchists, Hunter Singleton and Wingnut member Eric Scott, were arrested while marching around Monroe Park with hundreds of members and supporters of Occupy Richmond. The march took place 10 days after a massive police operation, carried out at 1:15 in the morning, that shut down the Occupy Richmond encampment at Kanawha Plaza.

On the evening of the march, people were concerned that the police, again out in large numbers, might use tear gas against the marchers. As a result, many marchers wore kerchiefs, scarves, or other cloths soaked in vinegar around their necks or faces. And yet, only Eric and Hunter were arrested, handcuffed, and charged with wearing a mask in public. Video footage of the arrests show no resistance on the part of Eric or Hunter.

All of these cases carry felony charges, which following a conviction would severely curtail the accused’s rights and make finding employment an even more difficult prospect in the current job market.

Our concern is that at least some members of the Richmond Police Department may have decided that the Wingnut and anarchist activists are fair game for harassment. Given the volatility of the times – high unemployment, deep anxieties over the economy and growing concerns about police conduct, as in the department’s overreaction to the Final Four street gatherings around Virginia Commonwealth University, we the undersigned organizations and concerned individuals of the Richmond area hereby call on Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones and Richmond Police Chief Bryan Norwood to make it clear to all members of the Richmond Police Department that discriminatory treatment of members of the public, regardless of political beliefs or affiliations, will not be tolerated.

Signed:

CBS Coverage of Arrests and Solidarity at Courthouse

Posted: November 10, 2011 in Uncategorized
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CBS 6 posted a video covering last night’s Occupy Richmond marches as well as the arrests of Eric and Hunter, and the awesome turnout of supporters at court this morning.

 http://wtvr.vid.trb.com/player/PaperVideoTest.swf

Coverage of Arrest from NBC12

Posted: November 10, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Occupy Richmond protestors on the move tonight – NBC12 News, Weather Sports, Traffic, and Programming Guide for Richmond, VA |.

Last night’s coverage of two arrests and an interview with a member of the Wingnut Anarchist Collective.

Organizing with Large Coalitions: The St. Paul Principles

Posted: November 4, 2011 in Uncategorized
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In light of broad social movements, such as Occupy Richmond and all of the Occupy movements, the St. Paul Principles garner revisiting. These principles were designed with allowing large coalitions of people with a variety of opinions and tactics to come together to organize against common enemies or towards common goals. The general idea being to allow people to work towards these common ideas, without infighting and policing within the movement.

Agreeing to these principles can also help prevent long ideological arguments as part of decision making processes. Following the St. Paul Principles means that tactics do not have to be agreed upon by everyone who is part of a movement for a group of people within the movement to take action. The St. Paul Principles help prevent unnecessary bureaucracy and allow for the most autonomy for participants.

St. Paul Principles

  1. Our solidarity will be based on respect for a diversity of tactics and the plans of other groups.
  2. The actions and tactics used will be organized to maintain a separation of time or space.
  3. Any debates or criticisms will stay internal to the movement, avoiding any public or media denunciations of fellow activists and events.
  4. We oppose any state repression of dissent, including surveillance, infiltration, disruption and violence. we agree not to assist law enforcement actions against activists and others.
——————————————————————————————————–
The St. Paul Principles were a set of principles agreed upon by numerous protest groups at the 2008 RNC. The purpose of the sets of principles was to encourage the working together of multiple different organizations confronting the RNC.

Among those who agreed to these principles were the RNC Welcoming Committee, The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, The Anti-war Committee, SDS-U of MN, Communities United Against Police Brutality, The Welfare Rights Committee, and Unconventional Action – Chicago.

Historical Significance
After the large anti-globalization protest that occurred in Seattle in 1999, the labor union, which organized the march, and the Direct Action Network, which participated in the largely non-violent and civil disobedient protests, were at odds because both though that the other had broken their promise. Following the protest, many thought that it would be doubtful to have both types of groups working together in the future. For the 2008 Republican National Convention, multiple different protest groups, including both large anti-war groups as well as anarchist groups, signed on to these agreements and kept their promise. As a result, it has strengthened the ties and possibilities of working together on projects such as the protests against the RNC in 2008.

<from http://wikibin.org/articles/st.-paul-principles.html>

Library Work Day! Thursday at 5pm!

Posted: June 7, 2011 in Uncategorized
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We finished adding some final details to our bookshelves, and because we have gotten SO many books recently we need to reorganize our radical lending library. That means all books off the shelves, checking them to make sure they are stamped online at http://www.librarything.com/thewingnutrva, making sure they are appropriately categorized, and then figuring out how to cram them all back on the shelves.

Anyone with librarian tendencies who is interested in helping us with this awesome, nerdly process is welcome to come over this Thursday, June 9th from 5pm on. We will have dinner provided to soothe the bookish appetites.

New Paint!

Posted: May 14, 2011 in Uncategorized
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We’ve been working hard to decorate the Wingnut for the Memorial Day Party in Memory of People Murdered by the Sate, and also just to get painting projects done that we couldn’t do this winter when the paint wouldn’t dry. Here are some pictures of the things we’ve been up to:

The new mural is coming along, as are the rainbow columns!

Had to get that one up there...

We've been planning this one for a while

the Wingnut garden grows!

Painting is more fun with friends!


Wingnut Craft Night! Wednesday the 18th at 7pm

Posted: May 14, 2011 in Uncategorized
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The Wingnut Anarchist Collective is working in the Southern Barton Heights neighborhood to help facilitate community autonomy and solidarity.

Open Hours are just that – open. You are welcome to come hang out, look at books, work on a project, drink tea, talk, do your homework, write, play a game etc.

You don’t have to want to engage in a particular activity to come use the space.

Open hours are intended to create a community space for both the Southern Barton Heights and the radical/anarchist community.

Every other Wednesday at 7:00pm is also Craft Night! Come to the Wingnut to draw, paint, sew, build, and create! Get creative and make something, or get involved with a project someone else is working on. Bring your projects and craft supplies.

Snacks always welcome as well!

Sober, all ages, like all Wingnut events.

Upcoming Court Dates- Solidarity Requested in RVA

Posted: April 20, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Solidarity means attack!

But sometimes it also means showing up to court to support your friends and allies. Less fun, less flashy, but vital for building movements. Court sucks, but it is a lot better if people show up to support you. 2 different issues have upcoming court dates, and would really appreciate support from others at the court dates. And because intersectionality is a reality, we are posting both of these dates here.

From Richmond Copwatch being threatened with a lawsuit by the Richmond Police Department, to the Monroe Park Occupation having court on April 12th over Obstruction of Justice and Trespassing charges, to the May Day parade having to defend their right to free speech regardless of their ability or desire to give money to off duty cops in order to finance their own repression, to the Defenders and Richmond African Burial Ground
Organizing Committee having to go to court to defend their civil disobedience in an ongoing campaign to get VCU to stop parking cars on the graves of people of color – Richmond has a LOT of legal stuff going on in 2011. Legal issues, arrests, lawsuits, tickets, and court dates are all very stressful and time consuming. Any support from those not directly involved can go a long way towards morale and be a really great way to strengthen relationships across particular issues. So many people are involved in the struggle for positive change, social justice, anarchism, etc. and it is really inspiring to see how much activity we do have in Richmond. Support each other, because a lot of folks seem to be throwing down really hard, and would appreciate any support.

First, the May Day Parade has a court date in regards to the bullshit cost the Richmond Police Department want them to pay to get a permit for the rally and parade. This court date is on April 26th.
Second, the folks who were arrested during a civil disobedience blockade at the African Burial Ground in Richmond, who prevented cars from being able to park on graves, have court on May 25th.

From the May Day Coalition:

A PEOPLES RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND ASSEMBLY SHOULD NOT BE DETERMINED BY WHETHER OR NOT THE PEOPLE HAVE THE MONETARY MEANS TO EXPRESS THEM.

The hearing for this case will take place Tuesday, April 26 at 11:00 am at the U.S. District Court, 701 East Broad Street, in Judge Hudson’s courtroom. (more…)

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