Unrest in Baltimore as thousands protest Freddie Gray’s death

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Police stand guard outside Camden Yards as protesters gather for a rally to protest the death of Freddie Gray who died following an arrest in Baltimore, Maryland April 25, 2015. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

Police stand guard outside Camden Yards as protesters gather for a rally to protest the death of Freddie Gray who died following an arrest in Baltimore, Maryland April 25, 2015. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

Clashes have broken out in Baltimore’s Camden Yards as demonstrators began throwing bottles at police and smashing cars. Thousands of marchers took to the streets to protest the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who died after being detained by police.

Police in riot gear charged some of the protesters after they
smashed police cars and threw objects at the officers. RT’s video
agency Ruptly’s Paulina Leonovich says the cops have made several
arrests at the scene.

Demonstrators had smashed a garbage can through the rear window
of a police vehicle, while other protesters started jumping on
top of cars in the vicinity.

The Baltimore Police Department told the public to avoid the area
surrounding Howard and Camden Streets, while several roads in the
area were closed. They also urged the demonstrators to keep their
protests peaceful, though they mentioned on their Twitter feed,
“We have isolated pockets of people from out of town causing
disturbances downtown.”

The force added, “We are deploying resources to keep everyone
safe.”

Baltimore police confirmed on their Twitter feed that a total of
12 people had been arrested during the unrest.

As the protests were winding down in Baltimore, there was the
surreal scene of more than 300 law enforcement officers keeping
just 20 demonstrators in check. The cops in riot gear were
marching down the street in unison, beating their truncheons
against their shields and shouting, “move over” at the
bewildered public, who were more interested in taking photographs
than causing any trouble.

The rally started with over 1,500 protesters gathering at the
spot where Freddie Gray was arrested on April 12.


READ MORE: Baltimore PD release CCTV video in Freddie Gray case,
admit medical care wasn’t given

When the protesters eventually got to City Hall, which was
following the planned route of the march, they took down the
American flag and replaced it with a black and white flag
instead.

The Baltimore PD were out in force and had been keeping a
watchful eye over the protesters. Some of the demonstrators had
urged law enforcement officers to “stand down,” while
they were also holding placards and shouting, “hands up,
don’t shoot” at the cops. Chants of “Freddie,
Freddie” could also be heard from the sizable number of
demonstrators.

Malik Shabazz, an attorney and President of Black Lawyers for
Justice was one of the leaders of the march. He shouted,
“We’ve got to shut this city down!” and “We don’t
fear no police today!” into a microphone.

Law enforcement officer’s initially kept a low profile, as
helicopters flew overhead. The police were trying to prevent any
repeat of the violent confrontations that marked the Ferguson
protests in 2014.

Details are still sketchy regarding how Gray suffered a severed
spine while he was being kept in police custody.

There is also a dispute about police comments concerning Gray’s
arrest being carried out “without force or incident.”

It is also unclear what happened once the suspect, who the police
say was carrying an illegal switchblade, was in the van, where he
demanded help on several occasions.

The six policemen, who had come in contact with the 25-year-old
Gray that day, have been suspended while the investigation is
being carried out.

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