This past First Friday in May, Richmond experienced an eventful International Worker’s Day, also known as May Day, a day that many Americans might not be familiar with. The streets were filled with passionate marchers advocating for workers’ rights.
The Worker’s Rights March commenced with a peaceful assembly. However, to avoid passing through an audience watching a performance by Gull, the marchers diverted from the sidewalk onto Madison Street. As they tried to return to the sidewalk, the scene took an unexpected turn when police surrounded the march.
Notably, an enthusiastic young man leading the march was forcibly pulled by the police from the sidewalk and into the street. This maneuver was executed to charge him with disrupting traffic. It is essential to clarify that Madison Street was almost deserted until the police occupied the area.
In retrospect, the police created traffic by their presence, then physically dragged the young man into the street and accused him of disrupting that very traffic. Moreover, the police threatened the young activist with arrest for not producing identification. This particular development bewildered the staff of RVA Magazine, as it raised questions regarding the necessity of ID for pedestrians in the Commonwealth.
Upon further clarification, it’s worth mentioning that this march was not the main May Day March but an offshoot. It is also important to acknowledge that the Richmond City Police Department (RCPD) was notably cooperative and helpful during the official May Day March.
