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Maryland communities rally against racism after Charlottesville protests

Events held in Baltimore, Howard County, Annapolis
Posted at 11:19 PM, Aug 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-14 11:44:30-04

In Baltimore's Wyman Park, nearly 1,000 march against race-fueled protests in Virginia.

"I'm outraged that in 2017 we're still trying to convince people that nobody is better than anyone else," said demonstrator Linda Goode.

In Howard County, hundreds lined Governor Warfield Parkway chanting and carrying signs outside the Columbia Mall.

"When we come together, the strife and division will pale in comparison to what we can do together," said organizer William Flowers with the Howard County NAACP. 

The images out of Charlottesville hit home for many who rallied for equality Sunday across the state. For County Council Chair Jon Weinstein, the weekend was deeply personal.

"I got a call from my son. He started by saying 'I'm OK. I'm safe and unharmed,'" Weinstein said.

He says his son, Zack, was part of the counter-protest in Charlottesville when a car crashed into demonstrators. One was killed and several injured.

"He had witnessed basically a murder," says Weinstein. "There's no other way. It was a premeditated murder against people who were rallied for justice and peace."

In Baltimore, a statue of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson earned the focus of demonstrators. They met at the statue near Johns Hopkins University to call for its removal. 

Sunday, City Councilman Brandon Scott tweeted that he'd be introducing legislation to, not only remove but, destroy confederate monuments in the city. Not everyone at the rally agreed.

"They need to stay up. All the confederate monuments need to stay up," said demonstrator Scott Adams, "because it's American history."