April 28, 2015
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Rioters destroyed cars and looted Baltimore businesses on Monday following the funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American man who died while in police custody last week, reigniting outrage over the treatment of blacks by U.S. police.
Angry rioters hurled bricks and bottles at police while ransacking stores and bars, trashing police vehicles and even torching a local CVS drug store into non-existence. Local and state police donned riot gear and used tear gas in an attempt to restore order as undeterred rioters refused to heed dispersal orders. At least 7 police officers were injured in the melee, however they were not exclusively victims.
Amid 24 hour news coverage of the rioting, amateur video emerged of police throwing rocks at groups of African-Americans, which seemed to entice more violent response. Their actions were downplayed by the media as police being “caught up” in the emotions of the moment.
Early Monday evening, Gov. Hogan activated the Maryland National Guard to respond to the violence, as businesses and monuments prepared for the worst. The University of Maryland’s downtown campus, corporate offices and the city’s famous Lexington Market shut down early. The Baltimore Orioles also postponed their evening baseball game. Looting and vandalism continued well into the night, with more fires that included the burning of a brand new church senior citizen residence only months from completion.
President Obama was briefed on the situation by newly sworn in Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. The US Justice Department, which was already looking into Baltimore’s use of police force, has already opened its own civil rights investigation.
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Family members of Freddie Gray were devastated at the violent response on the day of his funeral.
“Today of all days, the family was clear this was a day of sacred closure,” pastor Jamal Bryant of the city’s Empowerment Temple mega-church said as the violence spiraled out of control. “So for us to come out of the burial and walk into this is absolutely inexcusable. I’m asking every young person to go back home.”
Freddie Gray died last week of a suspicious spinal cord injury while in police custody, after he requested medical help and an inhaler, but was refused. Police have since acknowledged that he should have received the medical attention he requested. They also revealed that Gray was not buckled into his seat in a police van, which made at least 3 unexplained stops on its way to the city’s Western District station, now the scene of nightly protests.
Gray’s arrest was caught on video by bystanders as police severed his spine. He was heard howling in apparent pain as his limp body was dragged into the van. Police eventually discovered his neck was broken and he was dead.
In response to the violence, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has issued a 9pm curfew for youth and a citywide curfew for everyone from 10pm to 5am, until further notice.
The thugs tearing up their own damn neighborhood are plain stupid. I bet most of them never even knew the black guy that got killed or whatever they're supposed to be fighting for. How ignorant can you be.