Balto leaders praise peaceful protesters
Officials warn violence seekers to stay home
The scenes of violence came one after another. Police cars torched. A crowd of people rammed. Faces bloodied by rubber bullets. A police station set ablaze.
As of Sunday evening, all of that was elsewhere.
Baltimore’s leaders expressed gratitude and relief Sunday that hundreds of people had protested peacefully in the city. Their restraint caused Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young to decide against a citywide curfew even as a large group of marchers continued an orderly procession to Fells Point Sunday night.
Police and city leaders said they remained vigilant.
“If you’re coming to Baltimore to protest peacefully, we welcome you. But if you’re coming to Baltimore to throw bricks at storefront windows or destroy police vehicles, you’re going to find yourself in a jail cell. That’s a promise,” Young said.
Saturday, cellphone videos captured demonstrators turning to reprimand agitators in the crowd who threw water bottles at police.
“We were a national example of what it looks like to engage in passionate protesting without widespread breaking of the law,” Young said.
Sunday brought to Baltimore a third night of demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. The black Minneapolis man died after a white police officer there pinned him down by the neck for
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arrested — two of them juveniles — and charged with crimes such as burglary, assault and attempted arson.
Harrison said eight properties were nearly nine minutes. Cellphone video of the damaged and 11 burglarized. Further, city encounter captured Floyd’s pleas of “I can’t leaders had sharp words for demonstrators breathe,” spurring outrage across America. who they said assaulted a news crew from
The officer has been fired and charged FOX45. with murder. “Attacking members of the press is
Floyd’s name was invoked by Malik absolutely unacceptable,” Harrison said. Williams, 20, of Pennsylvania Avenue, as he The mayor said he considered whether led a march Sunday evening toward Fells to issue a citywide curfew as happened five Point. years ago after the death of Gray. Though
“We’re out here for justice and peace, more protests are planned for Monday, such we’re not out here to hurt,” Williams said. a measure is not yet needed, Young said.
Pastor James Teague stood on the corner Harrison credited his officers with showof Fayette and Gay streets with members of ing restraint to avoid any escalation in the his church to bear witness. Teague, who streets. leads Uproar Church in Owings Mills, said Saturday night, outside City Hall, officers his members came out five years ago during fired smoke after Harrison said protesters protests after the death of Freddie Gray to threw things at them as they held a line. offer hugs, water, prayers and love. That led him to replace officers in uniform
“People want to be heard and know that with those in riot gear, the commissioner people care,” he said. “As long as people are said. He said that a small group within the out here, we will be too. Wewant to fight for protest acted as agitators. the people and city of Baltimore.” “By us holding and having restraint,” he
In Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, said, “I believe that is the single most thing Atlanta and Minneapolis, protesters set fire that kept it from becoming worse.” to police cars and skirmished with police He added that officers have benefited officer wielding batons. Cellphone videos from more training since 2015, and they showed protesters setting off fireworks at have been planning how to handle a protest police. during the coronavirus outbreak.
In Baltimore, hundreds of people went Sunday brought a peaceful demondowntown Saturday night to chant, wave stration at Towson’s government center, too.signsandmarchthroughthestreets.There were tense, but generally peaceful encounMore than 100 people took a knee in ters with officers outside City Hall and silence for nearly nine minutes — the police headquarters. Police Commissioner amount of time Minneapolis Officer Derek Michael Harrison said 14 people were Chauvin pinned Floyd by the neck.
Will Schwarz, a Towson filmmaker and founder of the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, organized the gathering with Ray Bennett, a member of the project. Their demonstration was held a few blocks away from where Howard Cooper, a black teen, was lynched in 1885.
“It’s all around us,” Schwarz told the crowd. “Towson is not immune.”
Jillian Downing, of Reisterstown, brought a sign with “STOP KILLING US” to the Towson protest. The 28-year-old said the recent string of police killings of unarmed black men and women and the subsequent protests triggered her memories of Baltimore after Gray’s death.
“It didn’t start with George Floyd, that’s just the latest injustice,” Downing said. “We want not just people of color to do something about it — we want everyone to do something about it. It’s not just an issue for African Americans, it’s a human experience.”
In Harford County, about 80 people gathered in Edgewood and marched along Route 40 Sunday evening, calling their demonstration the “Momma, I can’t Breathe!!! Rally.” Sheriff’s deputies provided an escort with patrol cars in front and behind the marchers. Drivers passed by and honked in support.
Chadd Moses, a security guard at a salvage yard on the route, raised his fist as they passed.
“I want justice, I want peace, and I want it now,” Moses said. “Police brutality cannot be a part of stopping crime.”