The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

Baltimore Firetrap

Aug 1, 2022

On July 7 the Baltimore city sheriff evicted people living in the Copycat Building, a century-plus old former factory whose landlord rents out nearly 100 rooms, many to artists or musicians. The tenants fell behind on rent during the pandemic. The building has no rental license because of code violations. Lead. Asbestos. Ungrounded wiring. Not enough lighting and ventilation. Not all rooms have running water. But the sheriff and the Maryland Court of Appeals plowed ahead with the eviction anyway.

Such unsafe conditions, but the landlords weren’t closed down for it! It was the tenants who were evicted instead!