Occupy Protestors to Rally in Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg could be getting its first taste of the Occupy movement this weekend. A group of protestors from the Occupy Richmond movement are marching north towards Washington, D.C. along Route 1, and are planning an overnight stop in Fredericksburg on Friday night followed by a rally on Saturday morning before heading north again.

Right now, the Richmond marching group is small, with only four marchers, but they say they plan to grow their numbers as they move north. Their eventual goal is to meet up with other Occupy protestors marching south towards Washington from the movement's epicenter in Wall Street. Once gathered in Washington, they plan to march on the White House to call for an end to the Bush tax cuts which they say unfairly benefit the wealthiest americans.

"The plan is to make it to DC on November 23 for the Congressional Super Committee meeting which will be deciding whether the Bush tax cuts to the top 1% will stay or go," according to a statement released by the New York City marchers explaining the motives for the march on Washington. "Please join if you are able. Whether for an hour, a day, or the full two weeks, we feel it's imperative for OWS to respect and participate in the historical significance of long distance marches to support, promote, and encourage economic and human equality."

According to a blog set up by the Richmond marchers, they departed their camp yesterday at 9:30 a.m. for the 18 mile first leg of their journey to Hanover. Today they plan to march from Hanover to Bowling Green. By Friday evening they plan to reach Fredericksburg.

Once in Fredericksburg, according to messages posted by the occupy marchers on Twitter, they will crash with members of the fledgling Occupy UMW movement for the night before gathering for a 10 a.m. rally somewhere in the city. Once the rally is done, they set off up the road towards their next stop at Aquia Pines.

"In solidarity with a group marching from Occupy Wall Street to Washington D.C., a group from Richmond will march to D.C. and meet them there," reads a post on the RVAmarch2DC blog. "This is a walking occupation, we will be holding general assemblies to address group decisions…We are making a call to all occupations in the south to come to Richmond and march with us. If you cannot march the whole trip, join us for however long you can."

Their route also takes them through Woodbridge and Alexandria before they make it to McPherson Square, the heart of the Occupy DC encampment.

Fredericksburg police were already aware of the marchers when called for comment. City police spokesperson Natatia Bledsoe said that they didn't have much information about the group or their planned activities in Fredericksburg. Bledsoe did say that representatives from the Fredericksburg Police Department, the Virginia State Police and surrounding law enforcement offices would be meeting at Fredericksburg's police headquarters this morning at 10 a.m. to discuss the situation.