Posts Tagged ‘May Day’

Celebratory May Day Potluck with Food Not Bombs!

Posted: April 1, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Join Food Not Bombs for a Celebratory May Day Potluck in the Park!

Sunday April 29th at 4pm

In Monroe park, at the corner of Main and Belvidere

Food Not Bombs will be serving a free vegan community meal, like we have done every Sunday at 4pm for the past 18 years. We are inviting the community to come and bring vegan dishes and beverages to share, and turn this day into a potluck event to celebrate worker’s rights.

May Day (May 1st) is International Worker’s Day. There will be many events in Richmond over the weekend leading up to Tuesday May 1st. There will be information on those events available at the potluck.

Possible additional activities in Monroe Park after the potluck TBA!

Rain or shine, the food tastes fine!

For more information, please email rvafoodnotbombs@gmail.com, call 804 303 5449, or go online at www.richmondfoodnotbombs.wordpress.com

My Son the Doctor to play Pre-May Day Show

Posted: March 24, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Local Richmond band, My Son the Doctor, has been added to the lineup for the Pre-May Day Show and Celebration at the Wingnut on Friday April 27th at 7pm.

Sober, All Ages show at 2005 Barton Avenue. (804) 303 5449 or wingnut_collective@yahoo.com for more

They will be joining Snail Party and Jake Mayday to help celebrate International Worker’s Day! Come ready to dance, screenprint a May Day patch with a design by Bizhan Khodabandeh, learn about other May Day events, and celebrate!

My Son the Doctor plays an eclectic mix of Eastern European, Balkan, and Mediterranean folk musics, with an emphasis on Yiddish, Hebrew, and Roma traditions. Klezmer dance tunes, Yiddish folk and theater songs, Israeli folk songs, Chassidic songs, Ladino songs, contemporary and traditional Roma songs, and Balkan pop—all with a high-energy approach with elements of rock, African music, and jazz.

The current line-up is:

Louis Schwartz: guitar and vocals
Allen Cole: clarinet
Cayman Mooney: accordion
Ken Kellner: guitar, bass, and vocals
Janine Turner: percussion and vocals
Dave Ellis: percussion

May Day Patches- Come Screenprint Your Own at Pre-May Day Show

Posted: March 22, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Local graphic designer, Bizhan Khodabandeh has designed a May Day 2012 patch for Richmond that we will be printing on April 27th at the Pre-May Day Show at the Wingnut.

The patches are a roughly 4″ x 4″ design so bring pieces of fabric a little larger than that if you want to make a patch, or whatever fabric or shirt you want the image on! We will also have some pre-made for folks too.

Bizhan’s other amazing work can be found online at www.mendedarrow.com  Bizhan has contributed a lot of work into Richmond May Day festivities over the past couple of years, designing previous bandannas and posters.

The Pre-May Day Show is on Friday April 27th at 7pm at 2005 Barton Avenue. There will be music and labor songs by Snail Party, Jake Mayday, and 2 other local acts. Sober, All Ages. No cover charge, but donations for Snail Party from Canada and merch from other bands encouraged.

 

Update on May Day Plans for Richmond- Meeting on Thursday

Posted: March 20, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Lots of people have been wondering what the plans are regarding May Day in Richmond this year. Some folks planning some events are getting together on Thursday at 6pm at the Flying Brick Library (506 S Pine St.)

They emailed out an announcement about the meeting, but to a small list of people, so we are passing word along so that more folks can hopefully be included and aware.

They’ve listed some of the events planned, but it is by no means a full list. In addition to the Pre-May Day Show at the Wingnut on Friday April 27th, there are more events TBA.

Please go to the meeting if you are interested in planning for May Day.

More from them…

TO THOSE PLANNING WORKSHOPS, ACTIONS, ETC. AROUND MAY FIRST, OR THOSE WHO
ARE INTERESTED IN ASSISTING IN SOME CAPACITY:

Folks currently functioning as a coordinating committee for May Day and
the preceding weekend have set out a five-day plan of events as a general
guideline based on the intentions/actions being discussed and planned. The
objective of this coordinating body is only to schedule, facilitate space,
and assist others in ensuring fluidity and cross-pollination in all events
and efforts, while encouraging autonomous action.

To ensure a strong but flexible scheme, it is apparent that a central
meeting is dire for organizers to be on the same page.

We are calling for a meeting at 6pm this coming Thursday at The Flying
Brick Library (506 S. Pine St, Richmond, VA 23220). We understand that
this is short notice, but we have little time left and MUST get the ball
rolling. If you cannot make this meeting, please try to submit any
questions or pertinent information to be delivered to this email (try not
to “Reply All”). The facilitators will take care to shop this out. (more…)

Jake Mayday to play Pre-May Day Show at Wingnut!

Posted: March 19, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Richmonder Jake Mayday has agreed to play the April 27th pre-May Day show at the Wingnut.

Friday April 27th at 7pm, get pumped for the International Worker’s day, May 1st.

Jake will be performing old labor songs to celebrate!

You can check out his music here: www.jakemayday.bandcamp.com

Also performing is Snail Party, from Canada! (more…)

Pre-May Day Folk Punk Show at the Wingnut! Still looking for acts!

Posted: March 13, 2012 in Uncategorized
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The Wingnut will be hosting a pre-May Day show on Friday April 27th at 7pm.

Come out to hear Snail Party, from Canada! According to them: “snail party is a flailing orchestra made up of several scum fucks, a handful of crusty queers & a couple mortals too. we’re from halifax, nova scotia.”

You can listen to their music here: http://snailparty.bandcamp.com/

No cover charge, but please bring some money to donate to the band or buy merch from them if you can- they are coming a long way! All ages, sober show.

We are looking for local performers who play acoustic music to perform as well. Folk punk/ bluegrass/ etc.

Any performances labor-related especially welcome, as April 27th is the Friday before the International Worker’s Day – May Day (May 1st, that following Tuesday). So if your band plays union songs, come show them off and get people stoked on worker’s rights! Please get in touch at wingnut_collective@yahoo.com or 804 303 5449 if you are interested in joining this line up.

Know Your Rights Training for May Day on Sunday, May 1 at 10 AM at the Wingnut

Posted: April 29, 2011 in Anarchist Black Cross, Anarchist Organizing, DIY- Do It Yourself, Food Not Bombs, Neighborhood Resources, Richmond, Richmond Organizations, Southern Barton Heights
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To better prepare for the police presence at the May Day march, we will be hosting a Know Your Rights Training, geared specifically towards the march, for anyone who wants to attend. Knowing your rights when in a situation where police contact is likely is the best groundwork to have for making sure that you are not pressured by the police to give up more of your rights than they have already taken from you.

This will be more of an open discussion and planning session specifically for the march, not one of our more general workshops. Anyone who is planning on volunteering for Copwatch, Anarchist Black Cross, as a medic or bike marshall, or as a police liaison should consider this workshop an essential refresher in preparation for Sunday’s march.

Also, there will be coffee and donuts!

May Day RVA Schedule of Events!!!

Posted: April 25, 2011 in Uncategorized
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From the May Day Coalition website, we are reposting the schedule of events for this upcoming weekend! It should be a good time to learn from fellow workers, reflect on the history of May Day and the Labor movements, and think about the current state of the labor movement and where we want it to go from here.

The Wingnuts will definitely be at the Really Really Free Market and History of May Day Workshop on Saturday. On Sunday, the whole Food Not Bombs crew will be at the Wingnut from 12:30 til 3:45 making some tasty food for our 4 o’clock meal in Monroe Park (where the Rally and parade are). Anyone interested in helping cook or bringing food for us to cook should, and also, keep in mind that we will need people to come back to the Wingnut after the rally and parade to help us clean up from Food Not Bombs.

May Day! Schedule of Events! / Primero de Mayo! Calendario de Eventos!

May Day 2011 Richmond, VA | Workshops | Rally | Parade
April 30, 2011 – May 1, 2011

Sunday May 1, 2011
Monroe Park (VCU Campus)
Music / Gathering: 3:00 pm
Rally / Food Not Bombs / Speakers: 4:00 pm
Parade: 5:00 pm
Closing Ceremonies: 6:00 pm

For the parade and rally, feel free to bring signs, flags, posters, puppets, banners, leaflets, etc. to let folks know why you came out and what it is about the struggle of working people that you are interested in!

RSVP on Facebook Here! [ http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111284678950426 ]
Workshops | Saturday April 30, 2011

Entering the Workforce: Know Your Rights! 11:00am – 12:30pm
Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, 3601 Seminary Ave, Richmond 23227

Members of the Richmond Industrial Workers of the World, a local Union for all workers will host a workshop geared toward educating youth ages 14 and up on their rights in the workplace, and how to fight back when their rights are being violated. This workshop is a collaboration between May Day 2011 and the Richmond Peace and Education Center’s RYPP Youth Peace Summit.

Really Really Free Market!!! 12:00pm- 3:00pm (more…)

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…)

ACLU fighting the pigs on behalf of Richmond May Day organizers

Posted: April 20, 2011 in Anarchist Black Cross, Anarchist Organizing, DIY- Do It Yourself, Neighborhood Resources, Richmond Organizations
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A C L U O F V I R G I N I A

M E D I A R E L E A S E

April 20, 2011

ACLU Sues Richmond Police Over

Onerous Costs on Parade Organizers

Richmond, VA – The ACLU of Virginia today filed a request in federal court on behalf of activists in Richmond for an injunction ordering the Richmond Police to allow them to hold a May Day parade without having to pay for off-duty police officers.

“Nowhere in the city code does it say that Richmond police have the authority to assess fees on parade organizers,” said ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Rebecca Glenberg. “The police cannot arbitrarily impose costs on individuals exercising their First Amendment rights.”

Kenneth Yates and other organizers are planning a May Day march through Richmond city streets and submitted a parade permit application on March 21. Although city code requires police to issue or deny the permit within five days, Yates did not receive a response until April 11. At that time, he was told that in order to march, his group would have to pay $296 for two off-duty police officers and two police cars. The group does not have the funds to pay for the officers.

The ACLU sent a letter to the Richmond Police Department on behalf of the group informing them that the Richmond parade ordinance does not authorize them to require a person to pay for off-duty police in order to march. Additionally, the ACLU said that applying such a requirement without specific guidelines is unconstitutional. The police did not respond to the ACLU’s letter.

“Without clear guidelines, police may be imposing fees on some groups and not on others,” said Glenberg. “We are concerned that police may be chilling free speech in Richmond.”

This issue is not a new one. Last year, May Day parade organizers were told they would have to pay for off-duty officers in order to march. Ultimately though, the police relented and granted organizers a permit to parade in the street without having to pay for off-duty officers.

“Organizers followed the rules and applied for their parade permit just like everyone else,” added Glenberg. “Richmond police cannot just move the goal posts and add another obstacle that is not authorized by law.”

Yates is represented by Glenberg and ACLU of Virginia Dunn Fellow Thomas Fitzpatrick.

A copy of the ACLU’s complaint can be found online at: http://acluva.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/YatesvNorwoodcomplaint.pdf. A copy of the preliminary injunction memo can be found online at: http://acluva.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/YatesvNorwoodPImemo.pdf.

Contacts:

ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Rebecca Glenberg, (804) 644-8080

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