More rioting in the Land of the Free (c)
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By Staff Writers, teleSUR
teleSUR
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2015
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| A protestor on a bicycle thrusts his fist in the air next to a line of police during protests in Baltimore, Maryland, April 27, 2015. | Photo: Reuters
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The death of Freddie Gray appears to have triggered an emotional and powerful response from a population weary of abuse at the hands of police.
In response to mass protests demanding justice in the death of Freddie Gray, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ordered a night-time curfew for all residents from 10 p.m. local time to 5 a.m. beginning Tuesday night. Rawlings-Blake added that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan had promised to send National Guard troops to repress the protests.
AFP reported that National Guard commander Adjutant General Linda Singh had 5,000 troopers ready to deploy in a "massive force."
Meanwhile police superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi has requested 5,000 police officers from the region and ordered a further 500 to immediately report to Baltimore.
Protests erupted as thousands gathered Monday in the city to mourn the death of the 25-year-old Gray, who died from severe spinal injuries suffered under police custody.
Areas of the city were witness to clashes between protesters and police, with numerous accounts of police vehicles set on fire. Police responded with tear gas and pepper spray. A video circulating online showed police throwing rocks back at protesters.
Using incendiary language, Rawlings-Blake referred to demonstrators as “thugs” and said that the city had experienced one of its "darkest days."
"We cannot allow our city to devolve into chaos because of a small group of criminals that are moving throughout our city," said Rawlings-Blake.
The death of Freddie Gray has triggered an emotional and powerful response from a population weary of abuse at the hands of police. Thousands of people have participated in peaceful marches demanding accountability from a police force notorious for its abuse of residents.
The Baltimore Sun published a scathing article in September 2014 detailing a long history of police abuse, with payouts from lawsuits against the police totaling US$5.7 million since 2011 alone.
"All this had to happen, people getting tired of the police killing the young black guys for no reason. ... It is a sad day but it had to happen," said Tony Luster, 40, who was out on the street watching the police line.
The large deployment of police and national guard troops is likely exacerbated by Baltimore's proximity to the country's capital, Washington D.C., less than an hours' drive away.
Like Baltimore, Washington D.C. counts on a sizable black population. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who was sworn in Monday, was quick to condemn the "senseless acts of violence."
Gray's death on April 19 follows the killings of unarmed black men in Ferguson, New York City and has reignited a public outcry over police treatment of black Americans.
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