The Board of Trustees has made their position clear. A call for divestment from weapons and technologies of genocide at a public meeting is deemed a crime, while genocide is expected to go with impunity.
Sign the petition: vrsdivest.org
And join us on this Thursday, Nov. 13
📍VRS, 1091 E Main St Richmond, VA
⏰ 12:30PM
Sign the petition: vrsdivest.org
And join us on this Thursday, Nov. 13
📍VRS, 1091 E Main St Richmond, VA
⏰ 12:30PM
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Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
The No Pensions for Genocide campaign has attempted to deliver the petition to the VRS twice. At the last Board of Trustees meeting on Sept 25th, Virginia Capitol Police brutally arrested a Virginia firefighter. The VRS must serve the people, not the corporations perpetuating genocide. This is a crisis of democracy.
The VRS Board of Trustees fear our united voices. While they may attempt to silence the people with violence and repression, our convictions remain stronger than their force. Even in handcuffs, Virginia’s firefighter stands tall and speaks truth to power on the VRS’s complicity.
“Benjamin Netanyahu has warrants out for his arrest on the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but I’m in handcuffs.” Who should be under arrest: Virginia firefighters who denounce genocide or the public officials who perpetuate it?
The VRS Board of Trustees fear our united voices. While they may attempt to silence the people with violence and repression, our convictions remain stronger than their force. Even in handcuffs, Virginia’s firefighter stands tall and speaks truth to power on the VRS’s complicity.
“Benjamin Netanyahu has warrants out for his arrest on the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but I’m in handcuffs.” Who should be under arrest: Virginia firefighters who denounce genocide or the public officials who perpetuate it?
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NO PENSIONS FOR GENOCIDE!
On Thursday, November 13th, community members organized in Richmond, Virginia to confront an institution that uses workers’ hard earned money to fund genocide: the Virginia Retirement System. While Virginians want their pensions and tax dollars to be given back to the community in the form of affordable and accessible housing, education and healthcare, the VRS instead elects to use workers’ hard-earned money to invest in weapons manufacturing companies that are responsible for destroying Palestinian lives. Thus far, the VRS has invested more than $300 million in weapons manufacturers and logistics giants, but the people say no more! The No Pensions for Genocide campaign aims to hold the VRS accountable, demanding the company to divest from investing in genocide. We are fighting for a Virginia that serves the people, not corporate interests and bloodshed.
On Thursday, November 13th, community members organized in Richmond, Virginia to confront an institution that uses workers’ hard earned money to fund genocide: the Virginia Retirement System. While Virginians want their pensions and tax dollars to be given back to the community in the form of affordable and accessible housing, education and healthcare, the VRS instead elects to use workers’ hard-earned money to invest in weapons manufacturing companies that are responsible for destroying Palestinian lives. Thus far, the VRS has invested more than $300 million in weapons manufacturers and logistics giants, but the people say no more! The No Pensions for Genocide campaign aims to hold the VRS accountable, demanding the company to divest from investing in genocide. We are fighting for a Virginia that serves the people, not corporate interests and bloodshed.
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Sign the petition at vrsdivest.org to hold the VRS responsible for using your earnings and tax dollars to murder and displace Palestinians!
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Over 1,200 people have signed the No Pensions for Genocide petition, sending a total of over 20,000 emails. These emails have been sent to the VRS Board of Trustees and the Investment Advisory Committee calling on them to (1) Divest any direct holdings in weapons manufacturers and shipping companies that facilitate the genocide of the Palestinian people and (2) Revise the VRS investment policy to ensure that it does not invest in any companies that manufacture or ship weapons or weapons components.
Every day, the VRS grows its investments in weapons manufacturers, and every day, the movement challenging those investments grow. Sign the petition today and join over a thousand people in ending investments in war and genocide!
Every day, the VRS grows its investments in weapons manufacturers, and every day, the movement challenging those investments grow. Sign the petition today and join over a thousand people in ending investments in war and genocide!
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PROFIT OVER PEOPLE: The VRS has arbitrarily sent emails in response to select petition signers. Rather than meaningfully engage with the demands of the petition and those who signed it, they provide a list of excuses in an attempt to evade accountability for their investments. The VRS hides behind a smokescreen of legal and financial jargon, opting to justify their complicity in companies who weaponize genocide. Their excuses fail to cover up the nature of their investment portfolio: the VRS values profit over people. When the corporations they choose to invest in supply a live-streamed genocide, how can profit be the only investment consideration? The VRS must divest from genocide and endless war. Workers and taxpayers should have a say in how public money is spent.
Swipe to challenge their excuses.
SIGN THE PETITION: vrsdivest.org
ENDORSE THE CAMPAIGN: vrsdivest.org/endorse
Swipe to challenge their excuses.
SIGN THE PETITION: vrsdivest.org
ENDORSE THE CAMPAIGN: vrsdivest.org/endorse
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The Richmond Free Press published an article covering the rally and press conference last week outside the VRS building in Richmond. The article covers why public sector workers are calling for the VRS to divest $300 million from weapons and logistics firms who fuel the genocide in Gaza, the violent arrest of a firefighter at the last VRS board meeting, and the work of the campaign to spread awareness of VRS' complicity. Read the rest of the article here: https://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2025/nov/20/rally-calls-for-vrs-divestment-over-gaza/
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This Christmas, we recommit to the call for a global arms embargo. The Virginia Retirement System invests $300 million of state pensions into corporations responsible for arming and supplying Israel’s genocide and endless wars. As Virginian workers and taxpayers, we demand a say in how public money is spent. And the bare minimum is that our money should go to better our communities, not destroy them here and abroad.
Sign the petition and add your voice to thousands demanding divestment: vrsdivest.org
Sign the petition and add your voice to thousands demanding divestment: vrsdivest.org
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In:
- Democratic and transparent pensions
- Listening to VRS members and VA residents
Out:
- Investing in war and genocide
- Ignoring input from workers about where their hard earned money goes
Sign the petition and learn about the campaign: vrsdivest.org
- Democratic and transparent pensions
- Listening to VRS members and VA residents
Out:
- Investing in war and genocide
- Ignoring input from workers about where their hard earned money goes
Sign the petition and learn about the campaign: vrsdivest.org
U.S. OUT OF VENEZUELA! VRS MUST DIVEST FROM WAR!
Two days ago, the United States engaged in large-scale attacks on Venezuela, a brazen violation of international law. These violations come after two years of imperialist and Zionist genocide in Gaza, and decades-old patterns of imperialist aggression to further U.S. energy and economic interests at the cost of life and sovereignty.
This could not have been made possible without the Virginia Retirement System which invests $300 million in weapons manufacturers who profit from endless wars. While millions continue to be poured into war making, Virginians continue to lack adequate access to housing, food, education, and healthcare. To learn more about the campaign and sign the petition, visit vrsdivest.org (link in bio).
END U.S. IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION! ARMS EMBARGO NOW!
Two days ago, the United States engaged in large-scale attacks on Venezuela, a brazen violation of international law. These violations come after two years of imperialist and Zionist genocide in Gaza, and decades-old patterns of imperialist aggression to further U.S. energy and economic interests at the cost of life and sovereignty.
This could not have been made possible without the Virginia Retirement System which invests $300 million in weapons manufacturers who profit from endless wars. While millions continue to be poured into war making, Virginians continue to lack adequate access to housing, food, education, and healthcare. To learn more about the campaign and sign the petition, visit vrsdivest.org (link in bio).
END U.S. IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION! ARMS EMBARGO NOW!
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