A Preview of MLK Day at Virginia's Capitol
Lobby Day with the weirdos
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Martin Luther King Day in Richmond is the traditional day for many groups to lobby at the Virginia Capitol. Taking advantage of the federal holiday, the Virginia Citizen Defense League seizes the opportunity to bring in hundreds of gun rights supporters. This year the VCDL will have a gun valet to accommodate the gun prohibition at the Virginia Capitol.
VCDL's lobby day will not be anywhere near as large as their lobby day in 2020 with an estimated 22,000 attendees. Expectations for this year’s rally are much more modest for the VCDL. Their rally will be held at the Capitol Bell Tower at 11 AM.
Last year featured other groups showing up like the Virginia Kekoas based out of Virginia Beach. The Kekoas is a group that identifies with the Boogloo movement.
The Boogaloo group Virginia Kekoas is here across the street from the law makers. They are armed and attempting to get as legally permitted.
— Goad Gatsby (@GoadGatsby) 4:22 PM ∙ Jan 17, 2022
In addition to the VCDL, the January 6th linked Virginia Freedom Keepers will hold their rally. The VFK was founded in 2019 as an anti-vaccine activist group. Their rally at the Bell Tower will be later in the day at 4 PM. Their rally will feature one of the biggest names in the fringe community, Dr Robert Malone. Malone spreads Covid misinformation and gained notoriety when he appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and claimed that support for vaccines was a result of “Mass Formation Psychosis.”
Joining the Anti-Vaxx rally will be Fredericksburg’s Matt Strickland. Matt Strickland made headlines over his restaurant Gourmeltz suspension of their alcohol license and seizure of alcohol from his refusal to follow Covid safety violations.
Monday's lobby day won't just be about dystopian right-wing politics. Virginia Education Association will be holding a rally at 9 AM at the Capitol Bell Tower. They are largest advocacy group for educators in Virginia and will also take advantage of the holiday to lobby legislators.
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