Community members are organizing a rally and march in Richmond on Friday, May 1, to observe International Workers’ Day.
The event begins at 4 p.m. at MacDonald Avenue and Civic Center Plaza. Organizers are calling for a general strike where participants avoid work, school, and shopping to show collective influence. The peaceful demonstration will focus on demands such as higher taxes on the wealthy, the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and expanded voting rights.
The May Day rally is a direct follow-up to “No Kings” protests in Richmond. Both events utilize the same coalition of labor and civic groups to protest corporate influence and federal overreach. Organizers are using the infrastructure from previous “No Kings” demonstrations to transition their messaging into the “May Day Strong” campaign, maintaining the same location and non-violent protocols to build sustained local momentum for economic and social reform.
Friday’s event is being organized by Richmond Indivisible, the United Teachers of Richmond, and the Richmond Progressive Alliance — the same organizers behind “No Kings” and ICE Out protests in the city that opposed Trump administration policies. An event last month featured a human banner at the Civic Center Plaza and a demonstration along MacDonald Avenue.