Women arrested at protest in Federal Hill face charges of interfering with BGE's utility work
BALTIMORE -- Three women who were arrested while protesting in Federal Hill on Thursday are now facing charges of interfering with BGE's utility work.
The arrests happened in front of WJZ reporter Paul Gessler. The three women, who had been protesting gas and electricity activity on Warren Avenue in the morning, were arrested just after 4:30 p.m. following hours of negotiation attempts.
Claudia Towles, who is part of Fells Point Residents Association, asked for the courts to interfere before she was arrested.
"Look, there's no emergency work here. stop, let the courts decide," she said.
Now, the courts are being asked to weigh in on the exterior gas regulators through a lawsuit filed by Towles and other residents.
BGE has already installed more than 10,000 of the gas regulators, according to gas and electric staff.
Company staff said they are critical upgrades.
"They claim it's safer," Attorney Thiru Vignarajah said. "These residents think it's more dangerous."
BGE says Maryland residents who don't want the upgrades can choose to continue their gas service.
The three women who were arrested on Thursday were all released from jail on Friday morning.
"I just think it's a little crazy the people who own these houses have no say in the destruction and aesthetics, especially in historic homes," Federal Hill resident Gail Burton said.
Paul Robinson, who lives on Warren Avenue, has already had a regulator installed at his residence. He said he doesn't agree with what happened in his neighborhood on Thursday, but "that's the way it is."
"It's all politics," Robinson said. "It's gonna happen whether they like it or not."
