This afternoon, President Trump will be in Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium to attend the annual Army-Navy game. In the midst of a chilling conflict surrounding the US military’s potential war crimes in international waters, evidence pointing to increased ICE activity in Maryland, and local news that no police officers will be charged for the fatal police shooting of Glenn Pettie, this football game has become the staging ground for a much larger conflict.
It’s no surprise Trump won’t get a warm Baltimore welcome; he’s frequently expressed his disdain for the city. Six years ago, he called it a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” and said “no human being would want to live there.” Just this past August, he called it a “deathbed” and a “hellhole.” Clearly, he’s not a fan.
“No human being would want to live there.”
But it seems the majority Black city isn’t a fan of him either. Baltimore Fishbowl reported on plans for a peaceful protest this afternoon. The protest was organized by a loose coalition of pro-democracy groups, including the Free State Coalition and the Baltimore chapter of Indivisible, among others. It will take place on the sidewalks surrounding the iconic Ravens stadium from 1:30-3:30 p.m., overlapping with the college game’s 3 p.m. kickoff.
The event’s online protest flyer says it’s about “reminding our military they serve the Constitution,” echoing a message from Congress Democrats nearly a month ago that provoked the President into reposting a rant on Truth Social suggesting they be hanged. Military overreach and flagrant violation of law is startlingly common under the Trump regime, and many members of the Baltimore community suspect it’s only a matter of time before they’re the next targets. Already, ICE has made its presence known in the city.
But the protest isn’t just about one thing; it’s a showing of larger ideological solidarity for Maryland’s vulnerable communities. “We will gather peacefully on the sidewalks surrounding the stadium for a multitude of reasons,” said local Margaret Winters, who’s a member of Indivisible. “Many of us have connections to veterans and honor their service.”
“We protest the unleashing of masked, brutal thugs against peaceful, law-abiding residents of our city, and other communities across the country.”
Winters also condemned the interference of ICE: “As members of the greater Baltimore community, we say hands off our neighbors. We protest the unleashing of masked, brutal thugs against peaceful, law-abiding residents of our city, and other communities across the country. This is immoral and illegal behavior.”
Trump’s no stranger to lobbing insults, but he might be surprised today when he sees a city that bites back.
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