BALTIMORE — On the third night of the Republican National Convention Vice President Mike Pence gave his speech from Fort McHenry, his presence at Fort McHenry made it an eventful day across the city.
Throughout the night protestors and supporters were chanting, at times directly across the street from each other.
The Peoples Power Assembly geared up for a car caravan from a parking lot near Camden Yards, to Fort McHenry to Douglass Homes and ending at the post office.
“We haven’t forgotten the racism of trump when he said our city was rat infested and insulted Congressman Cummings,” said Sharon Black an organizer with Peoples Power Assembly. “Today with Pence coming into town, we’re saying get out of town.”
There wasn’t a car caravan in support of the VP, but the GOP did have a man with a sign and a song.
“I’m a military veteran, a small business owner, public safety for 54 years,” said Ray Hinkle. “I’m a firefighter for trump. I’d like to see him do four more years. I’m really afraid of the Democratic Party. I’m afraid their first statement is going to be raising taxes. Just what I need more taxes.”
Alex Soroka lives in Locust Point and said he would be protesting no matter what party was using their National Park.
“These are public lands and they should be used for public purposes,” Soroka said. “I don’t like the idea that they are being used for a political movement.”
The Peoples Power Assembly made a stop at Douglass Homes.
Andre Powell, an organizer with Peoples Power Assembly, said they walked from there to the post office to show how voter suppression effects disinvested neighborhoods.
“The voter suppression is an attack on the voting rights act,” said Powell. “The voter suppression is meant to disway people from using mail in ballots, which is particularly important and safe at this time when the entire country is dealing with COVID-19.”
They ended their protest at the Post Office to show their support for postal workers and against privatizing the post office.
“It is a majority black employment force,” Powell said. “This is an out and out attack on the living standards of black people in this country.”
The Republican National Convention wraps up Thursday with a speech and nomination acceptance from President Donald Trump.
