Adult club owners and employees in downtown Baltimore’s entertainment district known as The Block rallied Tuesday in front of City Hall to protest legislation aiming to shut down their businesses from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.The bill, which was introduced last week by state lawmakers, claims a large amount of violence surrounding The Block is depleting police resources.Thiru Vignarajah, a spokesman for the businesses and former deputy attorney general, claimed the legislation would shut down multiple small businesses and not help in the efforts to reduce crime.”Surely, they know that it’s not just the business owner but the dozens of people who work at each of those establishments that won’t be able to put food on the table for their families. Surely, they know that this will do virtually nothing with respect to crime,” Vignarajah said. Over the past two days, a man was killed in Fells Point, and a woman was killed in northeast Baltimore.”And yet the minds and the leaders in Annapolis, they want to shut down this block – that I don’t believe poses any problem. It affords people to work,” Gia Ristorante Owner Gia Blatterman said.”We as a city are focusing on the wrong issue here. We need to invest in solutions for the root cause of crime, we need to find out why people are drawn to illegal activity and help solve those issues.” Max’s Tap House Ron Furman said.Business owners from The Block said shutting down operations between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. would cost businesses 70% of their daily profits. They are demanding to meet with state and city lawmakers to discuss the legislation.
BALTIMORE —
Adult club owners and employees in downtown Baltimore’s entertainment district known as The Block rallied Tuesday in front of City Hall to protest legislation aiming to shut down their businesses from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The bill, which was introduced last week by state lawmakers, claims a large amount of violence surrounding The Block is depleting police resources.
Thiru Vignarajah, a spokesman for the businesses and former deputy attorney general, claimed the legislation would shut down multiple small businesses and not help in the efforts to reduce crime.
“Surely, they know that it’s not just the business owner but the dozens of people who work at each of those establishments that won’t be able to put food on the table for their families. Surely, they know that this will do virtually nothing with respect to crime,” Vignarajah said.
Over the past two days, a man was killed in Fells Point, and a woman was killed in northeast Baltimore.
“And yet the minds and the leaders in Annapolis, they want to shut down this block – that I don’t believe poses any problem. It affords people to work,” Gia Ristorante Owner Gia Blatterman said.
“We as a city are focusing on the wrong issue here. We need to invest in solutions for the root cause of crime, we need to find out why people are drawn to illegal activity and help solve those issues.” Max’s Tap House Ron Furman said.
Business owners from The Block said shutting down operations between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. would cost businesses 70% of their daily profits. They are demanding to meet with state and city lawmakers to discuss the legislation.
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