Herring, City of Richmond launch Respect Richmond anti-violence campaign

Attorney General Mark R. Herring and the City of Richmond today launched “Respect Richmond,” an innovative campaign to reduce gun violence and homicides in the city.

The campaign will use innovative marketing and advertising strategies to target anti-violence and anti-retaliation messages to those at highest risk of committing gun violence or being a victim of gun violence, and the broader Richmond community. The campaign is launching with a dedicated website and an innovative messaging push on social media, websites, and gaming networks. The ads can be adjusted and deployed in real time to target areas where violence has recently occurred and where retaliation may be more likely.

Ads will also be strategically placed on websites, social media accounts, and YouTube channels most likely to be seen by Richmonders at risk of committing an act of gun violence or being a victim.

“We have to break the cycle of violence and retaliation in Richmond that is claiming too many young lives, exposing too many children to the trauma of violence, and causing too many Richmonders to live in fear in their own neighborhoods,” said Attorney General Herring. “The ‘Respect Richmond’ campaign is going to make people slow down and think before they reach for a gun or let an online dispute escalate into real world violence. I really appreciate and thank Mayor Stoney, Chief Durham, Commonwealth’s Attorney Herring, and everyone in Richmond who has bought-in to this campaign and provided incredible input and feedback. I’m proud to be launching this campaign with partners who are innovative, supportive, and committed to tackling this problem head-on, and I look forward to seeing some of our other projects come to fruition in the near future.”

“We need to do everything we can to keep our communities safe and free from violence,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “This provocative digital messaging campaign, strategically designed to discourage gun violence that brings bloodshed and fear to our most vulnerable residents, is just one more tool in the toolbox we need to build a safer city. I’m grateful for Attorney General Herring’s engagement on this issue and appreciate his support behind this timely initiative.”

“I’m hopeful that this innovative campaign by Attorney General Mark Herring to raise public awareness about gun violence will result in fewer shootings in the city,” said Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham. “Seizing illegally-held firearms will only get us so far. We need people to think twice before they pull out a weapon – to understand the consequences of their actions.”