- Occupy Baltimore
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Occupy Baltimore Part of the "Occupy" protests 
Tents erected at McKeldin Square Date October 4, 2011 Location Baltimore, Maryland Status Ongoing Characteristics Demonstration, occupation, protest, street protesters 
Assorted signs used in protest
Occupy Baltimore is a peaceful protest and demonstration that began on October 4, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland, in McKeldin Square near the Inner Harbor area of Downtown Baltimore. It is one of the many Occupy movements around the United States and worldwide, inspired by Occupy Wall Street.
Toward the end of October, the city stated that the wanted to scale back the protest. They wanted to limit the hours the protesters were at the site, the number of tents at the site, and the amount of space at the site the protesters were using. The concern was that the site was being used as a campground, which is was not supposed to be, and each case would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.[1]
Meanwhile, the group has been determined to keep their protest alive, not letting the city's decision to cut off power stop them, and planning to winterize their tents for the cold.[2]
On November 17, 2011, protesters marched on the Howard Street Bridge.[3] The bridge was chosen by the protesters because they said it was a symbol of the city's decaying infrastructure and the need to get Americans back to work.[4]
Contents
Origin
The occupation of McKeldin Square began on October 4, 2011. This came after a meeting held on October 2 by 150 people at a different location. Those holding the meeting requested that a Baltimore Sun reporter leave.[5]
Messages
Organizers from the beginning did not have a single ideology.[6] Various messages have been voiced by protesters. These include:
- Demands for greater public input in urban planning.[7]
- Student loans that are difficult to pay off.[6]
Controversies
Legality
On October 25, City Hall declared the encampment was illegal on the basis that McKeldin Square is not a campground. The city stated that anyone is free to protest at the location, but not to camp overnight. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said each illegal act would be handled on a "case-by-case basis."[8]
Rape and robbery allegations
On Friday, October 28, a woman claimed she had been sexually assaulted in her tent and robbed of $1800 cash. She said she could not go home because the attackers had taken her bills and knew where she lived.[9] A 38-year-old man was taken into custody, though no evidence of a sexual assault was found.[10]
Cutting off of power
On November 2, the city cut off power to the occupiers at McKeldin Square, citing safety concerns. The protesters had been using the electrical outlets at the square for their basic needs, including heating food and charging cell phones and laptops. The protesters said this would not stop them.[11] Protesters have responded by setting up solar panels and are also attempting to set up a bicycle that can generate electrical power.
Concert cancellation
Protesters blamed Baltimore Police for forcing the cancellation of a November 12 concert by the band Celebration. The concert was cancelled over safety concerns.[12]
See also
References
- ^ Occupy Baltimore: City wants scaled-back presence - BusinessWeek
- ^ Occupy Baltimore, One Month Later - Reisterstown, MD Patch
- ^ "Occupy Baltimore to rally on Howard Street Bridge Thursday afternoon". abc2news. 17 November 2011. http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/reg. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ "Occupy Baltimore Protesters March Across Howard Street Bridge". CBS Baltimore. accessdate=17 November 2011. http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/11/17/occupy-baltimore-tent-city-still-standing-despite-warnings-from-mayor/. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Occupy Baltimore planning meeting draws about 150 - Baltimore Sun
- ^ a b Hundreds 'Occupy Baltimore,' Vent About Economy - Project Economy News Story - WBAL Baltimore
- ^ Occupy Baltimore joins residents in demand for greater public input in urban planning | Free Speech Radio News
- ^ Occupy Baltimore: City Hall declares protesters' camping illegal - Baltimore Sun
- ^ Raped and Robbed Occupy Baltimore Woman Receives No Help From ‘Activists’ | Video | TheBlaze.com
- ^ Woman Robbed Of $1,800 At Occupy Baltimore - Baltimore, Maryland News Story - WBAL Baltimore
- ^ City Cuts Off Power At Occupy Baltimore Site - Baltimore, Maryland News Story - WBAL Baltimore
- ^ Occupy Baltimore blames Baltimore police for canceled Celebration concert - baltimoresun.com
Categories:- Culture jamming
- Occupy movement in the United States
- History of Baltimore, Maryland
- Organizations based in Baltimore, Maryland
- Culture of Baltimore, Maryland
- Politics stubs
- Sociology stubs
- United States stubs
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