You may not know, but the doormat mine is smack dab in the middle of downtown Baltimore. On Saturday the 7/11 next to our studio was smashed and looted along with other businesses. Cars tires were slashed as they drove and bricks thrown through motorists window. Random violence was erupting. Monday we returned to the doormat mines. We walked the dogs, about to head home, when we saw the 20 or so cops in riot gear hiding in the 7/11 parking lots. We thought- time to get out of here quick!
Returning to the front door not 5 minutes later a crowd was walking in the street blocking cars. It seemed peaceful & calm, but you never know, so we waited inside thinking it would pass shortly. Then, a friend ran out of our building saying he'd seen a woman getting beaten on the corner 20 feet away- right where we would have been walking with our 2 small dogs on our way to the car. No quick getaway.
Through the night we saw plumes of smoke from burning cars a block away, heard people attempt to break into the camping store underneath us with sledgehammers & watched the riot police swarming our block to stabilize it.
Driving home today before noon was eerie- a gorgeous Spring day, people riding bikes - contrasted with entire blocks of broken, boarded up windows and helicopters flying overhead.
It will curious to see if this actually changes things in the town we love. Decades of poverty & poor education came to a boil. We didn't know what to expect today. More of the same or some sanity and it seems Baltimore has chosen to break out in Peace! Keep the beef on the bun!
