They held 246 signs, each bearing a number ? one for each slaying victim in Baltimore this year.
Under brilliant blue skies, they stood outside City Hall on Sunday and spoke of death and loss.
And they pleaded for everybody to join together to stop the bloodletting in one of the most violent cities in America.
Kimberly Haven, executive director of Justice Maryland, the activist group that organized the event called “No More Murders,” read each victim?s name aloud:
“Timothy Johnson, Wayne White, Earl Williams, Dante Chase. …
“These numbers,” she said, “represent a life that has been lost in the city.”
Family members, city residents and community activists who gathered at War Memorial Plaza said they came to put names and stories to the grim statistics.
“We want to put a face on the statistics,” said Ginger Beale, who said her son, Harold Robinson, was fatally shot by unruly patrons while working as a bouncer at a city nightclub in February. “We want to keep our loved ones alive so that things will change.”
Maria Whitely, who lost two of her three sons to the city?s violence and recently witnessed her only surviving son being shot while sitting on her porch, said she wanted the protest to create a sense of community.
“I hope this brings people together so we can move the city in a different direction, away from the violence,” she said.
“We need the whole community to solve this problem.”
Participants said they wished more people had shown up.
“I think every church in the state should be here,” said Edward Ricks, 51, of Baltimore. “I think there should be more outrage and more people involved.”
Rosalind Ellis, another city resident, noted the absence of Mayor Sheila Dixon and the City Council.
“Why aren?t they here?” she asked, pointing toward City Hall. “They should be at least watching this. I can?t understand how they can ignore this and say they care.”
