After another day of environmental reports and work, I biked up from the Inner Harbor to the Howard Street Bridge to join Good Jobs Better Baltimore and Occupy Baltimore as they demonstrated over the Howard Street Bridge during rush hour.
This sign, captured by WJZ, our local CBS station, was displayed on I-83, a major highway in Baltimore.
From WJZ:
“They’re closing our schools down,” Lee Smith of Community Churches United said. “They’re taking our recreation centers. So if we don’t have jobs, what are we doing to have to offer our kids?”
“That’s why we’re out here. Because we’re sick and tired of it,” Larry Young, a WOLB-Radio host, said. “And we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
They’re calling on Congress to create infrastructure jobs, like building schools and bridges.
“We need infrastructure,” Terrell Brown, a Baltimore City teacher, said. “We want business to get better incentives.”
Their article is basically a transcription of what was put on air. WJZ also mentions the contingent from OWS marching to DC, the number of cities that joined yesterday, and interviewed others at the protest.
From WMAR, our ABC station:
Almost no words online, just the video report that was on air. Instead of focusing on the bridge demonstration, the reporter goes to McKeldin plaza to talk with the people. They also cover the new sustainable grid the group recently procured thanks to donations. WMAR also mentioned OWS marchers were coming in a separate report.
From WBAL, our NBC affiliate:
The protest was organized by Good Jobs Better Baltimore, but other grassroots organizations took part, as well as Occupy Baltimore and unemployed workers. Organizers said the demands of the demonstration were similar to those in other cities.
"We needed to bridge the gap between the 1 percent and the 99 percent, and we needed to bring jobs back here to Baltimore. We need to put Americans back to work," said Lisa Lucas-Alston of Good Jobs Better Baltimore.
Protesters also demanded that politicians invest in crumbling infrastructure, such as the deplorable conditions at some schools.
"I'm fed up with rodents, rats and roaches. I'm fed up with bathrooms that smell like sewers. I'm fed up with sinks falling off the wall, cracks in the floor and holes in the ceiling. I think our kids deserve better," said teacher Terrell Williams.
The march ended peacefully, but protesters said they hope their demands won't fall on deaf ears.
WBAL has both an original article and video on their site. They also seem to have more coverage in other articles of Baltimore's movement than I saw for any of our broadcast stations. No wonder my partner prefers their broadcasts.
And WBFF, Fox's outpost in Charm City:
Occupy Baltimore is on the move, demonstrators march from their Inner Harbor encampment to the Howard Street Bridge.
Several hundred demonstrators marched to celebrate the two-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street. They say they picked the Howard Street Bridge location because it represents the need in this country, to repair roads and bridges.
Although the protesters were noticed today, some believe they might be losing their stride.
Political Analyst, John Deide believes the movement's original message of wealthy inequality, may be lost now on the public.
Deide says "They've also heard the stories about syringes, you know, people having sex outside, you know the whole bit. I think those types of activities are turning off people in the suburbs who may sympathize with the overall message but don't like how the messenger is conveying the message."
Of interesting note, that was the whole article WBFF/Fox posted regarding Occupy Baltimore's Day of Action. And half of the story is given to a political analyst. Guess it was easier to have him phone it in instead of reporting from the site.
Pictures and video that I got from the demonstration below the fold.
As in prior demonstrations, people on the job like bus drivers, are big fans of us.
Sidewalk was small so not many people were on the bridge. A lot more were around the corner at the foot of the bridge.
Towards the end of rush hour
Lots more pictures have been uploaded to Good Jobs, Better Baltimore's facebook page.
Looking forward to how the local media's coverage of when OWS marches on through over the weekend.