Firefighters yesterday battled building fires in Baltimore sparked by rioting that erupted after the funeral on Monday of a 25-year-old black man who died after suffering a spinal injury while in police custody.
Acrid smoke hung over streets where fire crews raced to contain damage from violence that broke out just blocks from the funeral of Freddie Gray and spread through much of West Baltimore.
The unrest — which saw looters ransack stores, pharmacies and a shopping mall, and clash with police officers in riot gear — was the most violent in the US since Ferguson, Missouri, was torn by gunshots and arson late last year.
Photo: Reuters
The police said 15 officers were injured, six seriously, on Monday.
Gray’s death gave new energy to the public outcry over police treatment of African Americans that flared last year after police killings of unarmed black men in Ferguson, New York City and elsewhere.
The violence appeared to catch city officials and community leaders somewhat off-guard after a week of mostly peaceful protests following Gray’s death on April 19.
Photo: Reuters
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, declared a state of emergency on Monday and that the National Guard was arriving in the city. A one-week curfew was also imposed in the largely black city starting last night, with exceptions for work and medical emergencies.
Answering criticism of not responding quickly enough to Monday’s events, Baltimore Mayor Rawlings-Blake told CNN: “This was an incident that sparked this afternoon ... I think it would have been inappropriate to bring in the National Guard when we had it under control.”
Blake said on Twitter that she was beginning her day with a survey of the most damaged areas.
The police made at least 27 arrests and city schools were closed yesterday. An Orioles baseball game was canceled and businesses and train stations shut down in the city.
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