Mayor Sheila Dixon met with business leaders and concerned residents at Jimmy?s Restaurant in Fells Point on Tuesday to discuss a fake letter circulated in the area that claims the city would be imposing a curfew.
The letter, sent on the mayor?s letterhead, says an early morning curfew would be imposed April 1 in the neighborhood in response to a surge in crime.
But Dixon said the letter was a hoax and that her office was investigating.
“It is the political season,” Dixon told the group. “We will get to the bottom of this.”
Leaders of the Hispanic community said they believe the letter was targeted at them.
“Because of the time of the curfew, when many people from our community are coming home from working at restaurants, we think it was meant to intimidate us,” said Eliot Morales, a business owner.
Michael Beckner, owner of Brick Oven Pizza, said while he thought the letter was a “bad joke” gone awry, it was important to discuss the issue to allay any concerns in the Hispanic community.
“If it wasn?t for the Latino community,” he said. “Fells Point would have a lot of trouble with employment.”
