CITY SETS DEADLINE FOR OCCUPY BALTIMORE DISPERSAL

October 25, 2011

For Immediate
Release

CITY SETS DEADLINE FOR OCCUPY BALTIMORE DISPERSAL

Occupy Baltimore has been peacefully gathering in McKeldin Square on
the corner of Pratt & Light Streets since October 4th, 2011.

The City of Baltimore Parks & Recreation Dept has refused their
request for a permit to legally occupy this space, and has responded
to their permit request with a set of unreasonable demands - including
a limit of 2 people overnight, and limiting the group to a small area
in the corner of the park. Furthermore, they have given the group an
eviction deadline of Wednesday Oct 26th to be in compliance with these
demands, which would essentially end their movement.

In the past three weeks, Occupy Baltimore has begun a directly
democratic dialogue, and considering their peaceful and respectful
assembly, the group requests that the city allow them to maintain this
peaceful democratic space, as city government counterparts in
Philadelphia and Washington DC have.

The city suggests that the demonstrators agree in good faith to
maintain only one overnight tent with just two people. Occupy
Baltimore counters that anyone who wants to stay in their space is
allowed a safe place to stay, out of the elements and with enough food
to eat. Furthermore, Occupy Baltimore has a complex infrastructure
already, with media, food, direct action, outreach, security, and
other working groups, which couldn't possibly be contained within two
people.

The city also suggests that the demonstrators agree in good faith to
limit their presence to within a small amount of space within McKeldin
Square, reducing the demonstration to a fraction of its original size,
and placing it in an obscure corner of the park. Demonstrators counter
that they would like to create a vibrant safe space that takes up as
much of the square as possible so that they can continue to grow an
organic infrastructure of democratic representation, arts, culture,
and safe space while still allowing passerby to pass through McKeldin
Square.

Occupy Baltimore recognizes that their requests are out of the box for
the city's existing permit system, but encourages the city to work
alongside peaceful and respectful demonstrators to create a legal
space where citizens' voices can be heard. Organizers add that
accepting the city's demands would essentially end their occupation
movement.

The city has given demonstrators an ultimatum to accede to their
request by Wednesday the 26th.

******

For more information, or to schedule a time to visit the occupation
movement in Baltimore, please email occupybaltimoremedia@gmail.com or
visit www.occupybmore.org