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Stay connected with Indivisible Woodstock CAN!

This is where we share updates on our latest events, community actions, local issues, and ways you can get involved. From book club recaps to calls to action, our blog keeps you informed and engaged as we work together to defend democracy and support our neighbors.

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Events for May 13–26, 2025

    🔥 We're moving fast. Here's how you can show up.

    The next two weeks are packed. Protests. Book sales. Canvassing. Potlucks. Die-ins. Courtrooms. Yoga. Whether you're fighting disinformation, defending public institutions, or just showing up with love—there's a place for you. Pick one thing and plug in.


    🚨 Woodstock Just Passed an Anti-Protest Ordinance

    On the same day we submitted a revised event permit, Woodstock City Council passed sweeping new restrictions on public gatherings—including sidewalk protests.

    We’ve issued a press release breaking down what happened, why it’s unconstitutional, and how it threatens all grassroots and community-led organizing:https://www.woodstockcan.com/post/woodstock-city-council-passes-anti-protest-ordinance-hours-after-grassroots-group-submits-revised-pe


    🧭 Strategy & Policy

    We’re tracking Project 2025, authoritarian moves, and local infrastructure. Join us May 19 to learn how Cherokee’s Democratic structure works—and how we can intervene.


    ⚖️ Government Accountability

    We show up where decisions are made: school boards, city council, library funding. Come to the May 17 book sale and May 23 Cobb School Board meeting to show we’re watching.


    🗳️ Voter Engagement

    We’re canvassing, protecting the polls, and reaching new voters—especially Black voters and business owners in Cherokee County. Big push starts May 15.


    🫶 Care & Coalition

    We don’t burn out—we build community. Join us for yoga, a May 16 potluck, or the May 24 blood drive. No speeches, no pressure—just care.


    📣 Comms & Creatives

    Tell the truth, loudly and clearly. Come to the May 15 protest, the May 18 die-in, or help document what’s happening on the ground and online.


    🧰 Events & Mobilization

    We make it all run—permits, protests, logistics, safety, medics. If you want to help turn big ideas into action, this is your squad.


    ✝️ Faith, Freedom, & Moral Power

    We fight Christian nationalism and build bridges with communities of faith—while making space for those who’ve been pushed out. This is moral work, not partisan work.


    🗓️ FULL CALENDAR (May 13–26)

    Tuesday, May 14


    Wednesday, May 14


    Thursday, May 15


    Friday, May 16


    Saturday, May 17


    Sunday, May 18


    Monday, May 19🧘 Therapeutic Yoga – 11:00 AM📍 Northside Cherokee Amphitheater


    Thursday, May 23


    Saturday, May 24


    Sunday, May 25


    Monday, May 26


    🌱 This is how we win: together, consistently, and out loud.


    Pick something. Show up. Bring someone with you. That’s how movements grow—and how the people take back what was stolen.

    Woodstock City Council Passes Anti-Protest Ordinance Hours After Grassroots Group Submits Revised Permit Application

      Woodstock Council Passes New Restrictions on Public Events—While Ignoring Constitutional Rights


      WOODSTOCK, GA — On Monday, May 12, the Woodstock City Council voted 5–0 to approve sweeping changes to the city’s special events ordinance, making it harder for local residents to organize public events, visibility actions, and protests—even on sidewalks.


      The vote came just hours after Indivisible Woodstock CAN submitted a revised event plan and paid a $50 application fee for its upcoming June 14 rally, No Kings in Woodstock—a peaceful, sidewalk-based demonstration that is part of a national day of action against authoritarianism.

      “We applied for a permit so we could legally use amplified sound and a tent,” said organizer Martha Jean Schindler. “But we don’t need anyone’s permission to protest. Our right to peaceful assembly is protected by the U.S. Constitution—and no city ordinance overrides that. We will be there. Legally. Period.”

      What Was Proposed vs. What Was Passed


      Originally proposed:

      • Removal of the 50-person threshold for permits

      • A cap of two non-city events per month downtown

      • Fee exemptions only for registered nonprofits or churches

      • Broad denial powers and new cost recovery mechanisms

      • Permits required even for First Amendment–protected events


      Ultimately passed:

      • Downtown cap increased to four events per month after pushback

      • Discretionary waiver power granted to the City Manager

      • Fireworks regulations separated into a new article

      • Vague “infrastructure impact” language retained

      • No protection added for peaceful sidewalk protest


      Let’s be clear: peaceful protest on public sidewalks—without blocking traffic or using amplified sound—cannot be lawfully subjected to discretionary permitting. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed this again and again. These changes may target protest, but they cannot override the First Amendment.

      “The city is pretending it has the legal power to approve or deny peaceful assembly. It doesn’t,” said Schindler. “Trying to regulate what the Constitution forbids you from regulating isn’t just lawless—it’s a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

      Council’s Debate Revealed the Real Agenda

      At Monday’s council meeting, city officials made it clear that this wasn’t just administrative housekeeping—it was about control.


      Redefining sidewalks to suppress protest

      At Monday’s meeting, council members raised the possibility that sidewalks appearing on the Greenprints Trail map could be reclassified as “trails” or “park land.” The implication? That these areas wouldn’t fall under the standard First Amendment protections that apply to public sidewalks.


      This is a dangerous and dishonest maneuver. Under the U.S. Constitution, peaceful protest is protected in all traditional public forums—including sidewalks, parks, and trails—so long as it doesn’t obstruct traffic or require special city services. The law does not allow governments to erase those rights by renaming the space underneath your feet.

      “This is about control, not safety,” said Schindler. “They’re trying to redraw the map of Woodstock—not physically, but legally—to say: ‘You’re not on a sidewalk anymore, so your rights don’t apply.’ But the Constitution still does.”

      By attempting to redefine public walkways as something else, the city is laying the groundwork to justify future crackdowns—not based on behavior, but based on location. It’s a deliberate effort to narrow the space where dissent is allowed.


      Restricting access to a taxpayer-funded amphitheater

      City staff claimed the amphitheater should only be rented to the public once per month because it's a “strain on city services.” At the same time, they claimed it’s underused and not generating enough revenue—suggesting both increased limits and increased fees.

      “So the amphitheater is somehow both overbooked and underutilized,” said Schindler. “It’s classic gatekeeping. They want fewer events and higher fees—and they’re blaming the public for a staffing issue they refuse to fix.”

      Too poor to serve the public

      City leaders argued that the new restrictions are necessary because the city is too understaffed to keep people at events safe. Instead of hiring staff or resourcing the services residents already pay for, they’re choosing to restrict public access entirely.

      “If the city can’t afford to uphold basic civic freedoms, it’s not the people who are the problem—it’s the priorities,” said Schindler.

      A Threat to Everyone

      This isn’t just about one group or one event. These rules impact every resident, business, and community organization in Woodstock—churches, sports leagues, veterans groups, neighborhood associations, cultural festivals, small businesses, and anyone else who hopes to organize or speak out in public.


      The ordinance:

      • Limits community use of public spaces like the amphitheater and event green

      • Enables the city to impose arbitrary fees, even when services aren’t requested

      • Creates vague, subjective reasons to deny permits

      • Caps non-city events while exempting city-sponsored or well-funded ones

      • Makes rapid-response protest nearly impossible under the new timeline rules

      “If they can shut us out, they can shut anyone out,” said Schindler. “Whether you’re a protester or a parent planning a community event, this should concern you.”

      Timeline of Suppression on May 12th

      Morning– Indivisible Wodostock CAN submits permit requesting use of the Park at City Center for June 14

      Early Afternoon– City emails Indivisible CAN denying use of the park for June 14

      Mid-Afternoon – Group submits revised event plan and pays fee

      Evening – Council passes the ordinance with full awareness of its potential for overreach

      “They knew what they were doing—and they passed it anyway,” said Schindler.

      Indivisible Woodstock CAN's Next Event Is Still On

      The No Kings in Woodstock protest will take place on Saturday, June 14 from 2:00–4:00 PM on the public sidewalks of Downtown Woodstock.

      It will be peaceful. It will be safe. It will be lawful. And it will be constitutionally protected—whether the city likes it or not.

      “We are not asking for permission to exist in public space,” said Schindler. “We are standing up for the rights of every resident. We’re not going anywhere.”

      MEDIA CONTACT

      Martha Jean Schindler

      Woodstock Workers Rise on May Day—Rain or Shine

        WOODSTOCK, GA — On Saturday, May 10, more than 40 residents braved the rain in downtown Woodstock to celebrate International Workers’ Day and stand up for democracy, dignity, and a fair future. The peaceful protest, originally scheduled for May 3 but postponed due to severe weather, was organized by Indivisible Woodstock CAN as part of a national movement reclaiming May Day—the true workers' holiday.


        Dressed as teachers, nurses, construction workers, cashiers, and other everyday heroes, demonstrators carried signs with messages like:


        • “We care for your family—let us care for ours.”

        • “We build Woodstock. Give us a future here.”

        • “We stock your shelves—don’t empty our paychecks.”

        • “Dump Trump! He already dumped us.”


        “We stood in the rain for our families, our freedoms, and our future—because someone had to,” said organizer Martha Jean Schindler. “This wasn’t about partisanship. It was about power—who’s abusing it, and who’s still brave enough to stand up for regular people.”


        The protest took place legally on public sidewalks without blocking traffic or pedestrians. Prior to the event, city officials warned that a permit might be required for gatherings of more than 50 people. Indivisible Woodstock CAN responded with a revised notice confirming the protest would stay within First Amendment parameters—no marching, no park use, and a small first-aid tent placed only on paved surfaces.


        City Planner Hannah Menard acknowledged receipt of the updated plan and $50 application fee, stating that the revised version was under review by the special event committee. Woodstock police officers were present and supportive, helping ensure the protest remained peaceful and safe.


        The May Day tradition began in 1886 with a strike for the eight-hour workday and became a global symbol of worker solidarity after police opened fire on protesters at Chicago’s Haymarket Square. “In most of the world, May 1 is recognized as the day to honor workers,” said Schindler. “In the U.S., we were told to forget. But we remember. And we’re taking it back.”


        Indivisible Woodstock CAN is planning a follow-up protest on June 14, part of the national No Kings day of action against authoritarianism, political revenge, and billionaire rule.

        Photos and interviews available upon request.


        About Indivisible Woodstock CAN

        Indivisible Woodstock CAN is a local, nonpartisan movement building grassroots power to protect democracy, defend freedom, and demand accountability from those in power. From school boards to statehouses, we fight for working families and the future we deserve.

        📱 Instagram: @indivisiblewoodstockcan

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