“The ultra-rich have us by the throats and they’ve had us by the throats for a long, long time” says the first line of Occupy!: Your Guide to the International Occupation Movement of 2011. The pamphlet, now available on the media table at Occupy Baltimore, also brags that the 99% “are more powerful than they’ll ever be.”

Follow on to One Person’s Occupation.

A guide to the Occupy Movement (Source: Greg Cundiff)

Cordial Relationships

Occupied (Source: Greg Cundiff

Occupy Baltimore is well into its ninth week at McKeldin Square in the Inner Harbor are of Baltimore City. Unlike many other cities, Baltimore’s Occupy movement enjoys a relationship with local government that runs the gamut from cordial to openly and enthusiastically supportive. Local police, firefighters, and teachers unions expressed their solidarity with the movement in a letter to Baltimore mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. The letter printed by the Baltimore Sun said in part, “We write to express our firm opinion that nothing be done to close down the site and that instead, an agreement be arrived at which allows for the continuation of a peaceful, non-violent demonstration.”

Bulletin Board (Source: Greg Cundiff)

A Matter of Permit

The extent of Occupy Baltimore’s ability to wield the 99%’s power is open to debate. While the city has thus far declined to evict the protesters, it has shut off electrical power. The city cites lack of a permit as the reason for turning off the lights. When asked about evicting Occupy Baltimore the mayor responded, “We are going to deal with it at a time of our choosing,” according to a Baltimore Sun blog post.

Bigger than you Imagine (Source: Greg Cundiff)

Occupy Baltimore reports that Department of Parks and Recreation’s suggested that the protest be scaled back to daylight hours only with 2 two person security team spending nights at the Square to protect property. The group says that it is in discussions with the city over the details of the permitted occupation.

Labor dispute a few blocks away. (Source: Greg Cundiff)

Occupy Baltimore filed a use permit on November 22, 2011. The Department of Recreation and Parks denied the permit on November 28, 2011 in a letter signed by Director Gregory Bayor. He listed non-payment of fees, long-term camping, and assembly lasting more than five days as reasons for permit denial. Bayor closed the letter with an invitation to “peacefully assemble and express your views at this location in a group of up to 25 persons at a time without any permit at all between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. and without any camping or set ups of any kind.”