Governor of Maryland declares State of Emergency at request of Baltimore's Mayor. White Sox-Orioles game postponed

4/27/15, At the request of Baltimore's Mayor, the Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, has declared a State of Emergency in the State of Maryland
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4/27/15, "Orioles postpone game against White Sox amid violent protests in Baltimore," Washington Post, Kelyn Soong

"Amid the violent protests that erupted Monday afternoon in Baltimore, the Orioles announced that Monday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox has been postponed.

The decision, made after consultation with the Baltimore City Police Department, came less than an hour before the game was slated to be played. Fans arriving at the game were met with extra security and could only enter through Gate H and Home Plate Plaza.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who was at Camden Yards for a planned visit, said “it’s possible these games could be played elsewhere.”...

[Live updates: Riots in Baltimore]

Tensions arose after the funeral of Freddie Gray at a Baltimore church Monday afternoon, where thousands had gathered to pay their respects. Gray, 25, died in police custody on April 19 and his death has become the latest flashpoint in the debate over police treatment of racial minorities.

The initial violence began about four miles from the stadium in Northwest Baltimore and the team has been consulting with Baltimore Police throughout the day, according to the Baltimore Sun. As a precaution, all gates except Gate H and Home Plate Plaza have been locked."


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4/27/15, "Son of Orioles owner Peter Angelos tweets perspective on Freddie Gray protests," Washington Post, Cindy Boren

"The son of Peter Angelos, the Baltimore Orioles’ owner, expressed frustration that the message sent by protests over the death of Freddie Gray was overwhelmed by the temporary lockdown of Camden Yards during the Orioles’ game Saturday night.

John Angelos, the Orioles’ executive vice president and second-highest ranking official, pleaded for a bit of perspective in a series of tweets that revealed compassion and an awareness of the community in which he lives. (The tweets, in response to a fan named Brett, are combined here.)

Brett, speaking only for myself, I agree with your point that the principle of peaceful, non-violent protest and the observance of the rule of law is of utmost importance in any society. MLK, Gandhi, Mandela and all great opposition leaders throughout history have always preached this precept. Further, it is critical that in any democracy, investigation must be completed and due process must be honored before any government or police members are judged responsible.

That said, my greater source of personal concern, outrage and sympathy beyond this particular case is focused neither upon one night’s property damage nor upon the acts, but is focused rather upon the past four-decade period during which an American political elite have shipped middle class and working class jobs away from Baltimore and cities and towns around the U.S. to third-world dictatorships like China and others, plunged tens of millions of good, hard-working Americans into economic devastation, and then followed that action around the nation by diminishing every American’s civil rights protections in order to control an unfairly impoverished population living under an ever-declining standard of living and suffering at the butt end of an ever-more militarized and aggressive surveillance state.

The innocent working families of all backgrounds whose lives and dreams have been cut short by excessive violence, surveillance, and other abuses of the Bill of Rights by government pay the true price, and ultimate price, and one that far exceeds the importances of any kids’ game played tonight, or ever, at Camden Yards. We need to keep in mind people are suffering and dying around the U.S., and while we are thankful no one was injured at Camden Yards, there is a far bigger picture for poor Americans in Baltimore and everywhere who don’t have jobs and are losing economic civil and legal rights, and this makes inconvenience at a ballgame irrelevant in light of the needless suffering government is inflicting upon ordinary Americans.

One of the main entry points into the ballpark was closed because of protests shortly before the game and after the game fans were not permitted to leave Camden Yards for about 30 minutes because of “an ongoing public safety issue.”"

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