City Officials Pleaded For Peace Following Violent Night In Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Protestors marched on City Hall Saturday afternoon to demand justice for Freddie Gray, the man who died in police custody on April 19.
Protesting began early in the afternoon, some promising to shut down the city.
As police helicopters flew over downtown Baltimore protestors marched from City Hall, through the streets toward Camden Yards, even making a stop at the Inner Harbor.
"All the protests today went extremely peaceful on the front end. We had groups that subdivided that started to make their way down city hall. The groups all came together about 5:00 p.m.," Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said.
As night fell, protesting took a violent turn, as groups began splitting up. Some protestors could be seen damaging police cars, even throwing a trash can of fire toward city police.
In a briefing outside of police headquarters, Batts announced the arrest of several individuals calling them agitators in the group.
Batts said more than 1,200 officers were on the streets Saturday night to control the situation.
Shortly after, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake pleaded for peace, expressing her disappointment toward the violence.
"After a week of peaceful demonstration I am profoundly disappointed to see the violence in our city this evening." Rawlings-Blake said. "I'm grateful to the many demonstrators who sought to make their concerns heard in a peaceful and respectful manner."
Freddie Gray's twin sister, Fredricka Gray, was also at the press conference to speak on behalf of her family in hopes of putting an end to the violence.
"My family want to say, can ya'll please, please stop the violence. Freddie Gray wouldn't want this. Freddie's father and mother does not want no violence, violence does not get justice," Gray said.
Freddie Gray's funeral will be held on Monday.
Baltimore Police are expected to finalize the investigation by Friday, May 1.