28 Apr 2015

Curfew imposed in Baltimore as Freddie Gray protests turn violent

Fifteen Baltimore police officers have been injured and the National Guard deployed in Baltimore after protests over Freddie Gray’s death turned violent.

A city-wide curfew, from 10pm-5am, will be enforced from Tuesday and will last for one week.

Local businesses were looted and set on fire, whilst riot police lined the streets to try to restore order after two weeks of mostly peaceful demonstrations.

In the east Baltimore, a community project with low-cost housing was burned to the ground. Officials said they believe the fire was related to the riots elsewhere in the city.

Protesters say they want to see justice over the death of Freddie Gray and are demonstrating against years of oppression and brutality from police.

Freddie Gray died last Sunday, a week after he was arrested and sustained serious injuries to his spine and neck in unexplained circumstances.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called the protests “very disturbing”. “It is very clear there is a difference between what we saw over past week with peaceful protests… and the thugs who only want to incite violence and destroy our city. “It is idiotic to think that by destroying your city you are going to make life better for anybody.”

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency and activated the national guard “to address the violence and unrest” in Baltimore.

Protests began on Monday shortly after and just blocks away from Freddie Gray’s funeral. Gray’s family were “upset, sad and angry” and begged people to stop, according to family lawyers.

Demonstrators jump on a damaged Baltimore police department vehicle during clashes in Baltimore

Baltimore police captain Eric Kowalczyk said that 15 police had been injured from flying debris, whilst two remained in hospital.

Gray is the latest in a series of black men around the country who died under questionable circumstances during police encounters. Their deaths have triggered an outcry in the United States over what many see as law enforcement’s unjustified use of force against African-Americans.

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