[BALTIMORE MD] At the Baltimore Travel Plaza Saturday August 24 at approximately 7:30am, twenty-four to twenty-nine anti-racist activists were arrested after a confrontation with neo-nazis who were gathering to travel to Washington DC to participate in a rally organized by the National Alliance.

Major F. H. Bealefeld told Indymedia that the attack included weapons such as stick, hockey sticks, and similar weapons. There were three injuries, one of which required hospitalization. According to an anti-racist activist, approximately 120 neo-nazis attempted to board charter buses at the Travel Plaza.

The Sunpapers (8/25/02) reported the police as saying that "It was not immediately known whether the attackers were counter-demonstrators or members of a rival supremacist group." However, it was widely publicized that the National Alliance had organized a rally for August 24 and that anti-racist activists were planning to respond with counter-demonstrations, and possibly other methods. In fact, the neighborhood around the Baltimore Travel Plaza was extensively leafleted in prior days, according to an anti-racist activist.

The Sunpapers should have spent more time investigating the event, rather than relying on the police officials. While the Sunpapers' report was not as egregious as that of FOX 45, which reported a fight between rival neo-nazi groups, a little more investigation would have given a more accurate picture of the event.

Three of those arrested have been released as of mid-afternoon August 25. Bail has been set in the range of $10,000 to $20,000 each. One arrestee, a minor, was charged with 23 counts of aggravated assault, according to an anti-racist activist.

Anti-racist activists who would like to support the arrestees may make a check out to Black Planet Books with "jail solidarity" in the memo line and mail it to Black Planet, 1621 Fleet Street, Baltimore, MD 21231.