News / Society

Baltimore protests turn violent, 12 arrested

Sunday, 26 April 2015 3:54 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 26 April 2015 4:30 AM ]

Protesters push against riot police during a rally in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 25, 2015. (AFP Photo)

Protesters, angry over the death of an African-American man in Baltimore, have clashed with police and at least 12 people have been arrested so far.

The city was the scene of violence, destruction and chaos on Saturday as protesters smashed police cars and store windows in what turned out to be the largest in a wave of protest rallies following Freddie Gray’s death on April 19.

They confronted lines of police officers and got into shoving matches with helmeted cops while other demonstrators hurled bottles and trash cans at police officers and blocked intersections.

At least five police cars were damaged and two people were hurt in the mayhem.

Protesters smashed police cars and shop windows in downtown Baltimore on Saturday.

Dante Acree, 33, joined thousands of others outside City Hall, wearing a sign around his neck that read, "I am Freddie Gray". Acree told The Associated Press that he took to the streets because "it could have been one of my kids."

"It could have been my brother, my father," he said. "I'd want the same support."

Leonard Patterson, 56, who drove from Manassas, Virginia, to join the protesters, said, "I'm here to do what I can. Police brutality is as old as the 1950s, the 1960s. It's still here."

The violent demonstration capped one week of protests, which broke out when Gray died due to a mysterious spinal injury after being in a hospital for one week.

Gray was arrested on April 12 after he made eye contact with officers. He ran away but officers held him down, put handcuffs and leg cuffs on him and took him in a van.

Gray was not buckled with a seat belt and, during his 30-minute ride, he repeatedly asked for medical help until paramedics were called for help. His spine was broken either during his arrest or when he was inside the police van.

On Saturday, the demonstrators demanded justice for Gray and asked for an investigation into circumstances of his death.

According to Gray’s family lawyer, he died with 80 percent of his spine severed at the neck.

In addition, police officials acknowledged that Gray should have received medical help after he was arrested.

Gray's death marks the latest in a string of high-profile confrontations with police, including the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, last August.

AT/HRJ

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