Paul Lai’s photos from the 2017 Baltimore Ceasefire
Baltimore Ceasefire — a plea for a 72-hour break in the relentless gun violence that’s struck Baltimore this year — was held this past weekend. Baltimore photographer Paul Lai followed organizers and supporters with his camera, at times feeling more like a participant than a documentarian.
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Christopher “Bangla” Keene from Baltimore. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Rally supporters dancing to the tunes from the DJ. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Erricka (cq) Bridgeford (right), organizer of Baltimore Ceasefire and rally supporters standing on the street promoting Ceasefire message to on coming traffics. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Markus Wilson (Left), Val Jenkins (Right). Markus asked Val if there’s anything he can do to help with rally. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Rally supporters standing on the street promoting Ceasefire message to on coming traffics. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Garcenia Grant from Baltimore holding up Ceasefire sign at the Baltimore Ceasefire “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/4/2017 — Baltmore Ceasefire banners. Day 1 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. “Stop the Violence Rally” located on Edmondson Avenue and Wildwood Parkway, where approximately 75 local Baltimore city residents came out to promote the Ceasefire message. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/5/2017 — Joanne Montaque, from Baltimore. Day 2 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. HUG DON’T SHOOT groups march from Druid Hill Park to Pennsylvania Avenue and North Avenue. Supporters gives out countless hugs and water to local Baltimore city residents. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/5/2017 — William Thomas (center) from Baltimore was shot in 2004 resulting in him being on the wheelchair, he hopes his action can pay forwards to the city for all the supports he received from the people around him. Day 2 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. HUG DON’T SHOOT groups march from Druid Hill Park to Pennsylvania Avenue and North Avenue. Supporters gives out countless hugs and water to local Baltimore city residents. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/5/2017 — Hug Don’t Shoot supporters standing on Reisterstown Road waving into the bus passengers . Day 2 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. HUG DON’T SHOOT groups march from Druid Hill Park to Pennsylvania Avenue and North Avenue. Supporters gives out countless hugs and water to local Baltimore city residents. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/5/2017 — A local Baltimore resident receive a hug from one of the march’s supporters. Day 2 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. HUG DON’T SHOOT groups march from Druid Hill Park to Pennsylvania Avenue and North Avenue. Supporters gives out countless hugs and water to local Baltimore city residents. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/6/2017 — Flanked by supporters, Erricka Bridgeford organizer of the Baltimore Ceasefire, becomes emotional as the names of the victim is being read. Day 3 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. A downtown vigil gathered over 100 Ceasefire supporters to read the names of 211 victims of violence in Baltimore city. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/6/2017 — Safiyatou (cq) Edwards from Baltimore becomes emotional while the names of the victims are being read. Day 3 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. A downtown vigil gathered over 100 Ceasefire supporters to read the names of 211 victims of violence in Baltimore city. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/6/2017 — Participants are solemn immediately after the 211 names are read. Day 3 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. A downtown vigil gathered over 100 Ceasefire supporters to read the names of 211 victims of violence in Baltimore city. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/6/2017 — Safiyatou (cq) Edwards (center, hands up) and Shameeka Dream (right) react to a speech during a downtown vigil to close out the Baltimore Ceasefire. Day 3 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. A downtown vigil gathered over 100 Ceasefire supporters to read the names of 211 victims of violence in Baltimore city. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/6/2017 — People gather around a drum circle and dance after the 211 names are read at a downtown vigil to close out the Baltimore Ceasefire. Day 3 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. A downtown vigil gathered over 100 Ceasefire supporters to read the names of 211 victims of violence in Baltimore city. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
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- Baltimore, MD — 8/6/2017 — Event supporters left countless amount of signatures on the Ceasefire banner to close out Baltimore Ceasefire 2017. Day 3 of the 72 hours Baltimore Ceasefire. A downtown vigil gathered over 100 Ceasefire supporters to read the names of 211 victims of violence in Baltimore city. (Photo and caption by Paul Lai)
When photographer Paul Lai showed up to the “Hug Don’t Shoot” rally that was part of last weekend’s Baltimore Ceasefire, supporters wouldn’t let him shoot their picture — until they’d given him a hug.
“It was around 20 or 30 people — they all came up to me and gave me a hug before I could start taking photos, which is something that I’d never experienced before,” said Lai, a MICA student. “People were just so genuine and nice.”
Baltimore Ceasefire — a plea for a 72-hour break in the relentless gun violence that’s struck Baltimore this year — was held this past weekend. Baltimore photographer Paul Lai followed organizers and supporters with his camera, at times feeling more like a participant than a documentarian.
“For certain events I was the only photographer there,” he said.
The first two days were joyous. A DJ blasted music. People began dancing in the streets. “That was really fun,” said Lai.
But as the weekend wore on, the atmosphere of celebration gave way to one of mourning. At a vigil held at the offices of the Real News Network near City Hall, walls were draped in black. Supporters beat drums and read the names of over 200 homicide victims this year. People were crying; Lai viewed their grief through his camera’s lens.
And then he put down the camera.
“At a certain moment I stopped photographing,” he said. “I had to respect what was being read on the stage.” Someone said the ceasefire would go on forever.
As the event closed and people walked out onto the street, he said, word came of the weekend’s fatal shootings.
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Aug 31, 2017 @ 09:00:34
I’ve seen many pictures about the August 2017 Baltimore Ceasefire. This photo album is one of the THE MOST moving set of pictures I have seen. These pictures healed something inside me, and helped to remind me why we will not stop believing in Baltimore! I showed these to the rest of the Organizing Squad, and we all want you to know that we thank you, from the depths of our hearts.