Fundraiser for Jan. 6 prisoners at Towson pub canceled after uproar

BALTIMORE -- A Towson pub announced Monday it will no longer host a Republican group's fundraiser to support those imprisoned on charges related to the January 6 Capitol riot. 

Charles Village Pub and Patio, colloquially known as CVP, would have been the venue for the "Jan 6th Political Prisoner Fundraiser" hosted by the Republican Women of Baltimore County. 

"Come join us for an evening of speakers, silent auctions and exciting offerings," read a flyer for the Feb. 7 event, which noted tickets are $20 per person. "J6 family members will be joining us." 

The funds raised would have gone to "The Patriot Freedom Project," which raises money for January 6 prisoners across the country. 

Backlash on social media was swift. Twitter users criticized the pub's owners, called on people to bombard the pub with bad reviews, and show up to picket the event. 

"Send this, its attendees and the January 6 attendees into the sun," was one comment in reply to the flyer. 

The College Democrats of Towson University planned to protest the event, according to Caitlyn Freeman, Editor in Chief of The Towerlight, the university's newspaper.  

The original Charles Village Pub in Baltimore, located on St. Paul Street in the Charles Village neighborhood, promptly disassociated itself from the Towson business. 

"We are not affiliated with CVP Towson in any way, shape or form," the pub wrote in a tweet. "The owners of that business parted ways with our establishment in the 1990s and continued to use our name."

The night before the fundraiser, the Towson pub replied to the overwhelming feedback. 

"Due to the overall feedback and safety for all staff & patrons, Charles Village Pub & Patio (Cvp Towson) has decided to decline the use of the venue for event that was to be held on February 7th, 2023 for the Republican Women of Baltimore County & Patriots Club of America," the pub said in a Facebook post. 

Yara Cheikh is one of several people who told WJZ on Tuesday that they were happy to see the event would no longer be happening at CVP.

"I think the backlash for hosting these events is warranted," Cheikh said. "In any efforts to help the families, I hope that the help is to have those families come to the recognition that raiding the Capitol is a crime."

The group did find a venue for the event, according to a new flyer. They intend to hold it at the Delta Hotels Baltimore Hunt Valley on Shawan Road.

The Republican Women of Baltimore County did have more events planned with CVP. The group advertised on social media their "Dinner and a Movie" event would be there later this month, screening an Epoch Times documentary "The Real Story of Jan. 6."

The Epoch Times is a right-wing newspaper with an anti-China, pro-Trump slant that has become "one of the country's most powerful digital publishers," according to a 2020 New York Times report that unpacks how the paper grew by pushing dangerous conspiracy theories.

However, by 2 p.m. on Saturday, CVP posted another statement on Facebook saying that event was canceled as well. A CVP manager we spoke to said they planned to cancel all future events with the group.

While a lot of people seem to be pleased with the outcome, some say these types of events have a right to happen.

"That's one of our guaranteed freedoms in the First Amendment, is that we have the right to assembly, so you can meet however you want," Kristina Williams said. "Do I personally agree with it? Not really, but yeah, I think anybody should be able to gather."

The Republican Women of Baltimore County didn't respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.