After the riots this week, thousands of protesters gathered peacefully Saturday, May 2 in Baltimore, to stand against the police brutality united and demand justice for Freddie Gray.
“No justice, no peace,” chanted protesters from a parade from the place of arrest of the the young 25 year old black man from April 12th. Some 10,000 people were expected according to organizers, the day after the announcement of charges against six police officers in the city involved in the death of Freddie Gray on April 19, following what was claimed to be a serious injury during transport without a seatbelt, with his hands and feet tied and his face down in a police van. Baltimore is the scene of almost daily demonstrations since the tragedy.
“Young people are not thugs. There’s no peace in our souls,” and more could be read on placards held by the protesters at City Hall who answered the call by the Black Lawyers for Justice, whose leader, Malik Shabazz, is a former member of the radical Black Panther movement. In blue t-shirts, Amnesty International observers ensured wanting ensure compliance with human rights.
The National Guard, called in reinforcements since the riots had first erupted on Monday which mobilized some 3,000 law enforcement personel Saturday to keep the peace in Baltimore. Friday night, the police conducted a series of arrests of demonstrators who surpassed the night curfew, having satyed in place since Tuesday.
But even a jubilation of calm prevailed in the days after the surprise announcement by the Attorney, Marilyn Mosby, further passing the blame off to six officers – three white, three black – for the death of Freddie Gray. Suspended from duty with pay since the tragedy, the six policemen were arrested before being released Friday night by means of deposits from 250,000 to 350,000, according to court documents.
The police will be brought before a judge on May 27 for a preliminary hearing. This is Including the murder prosecution against one of the policemen had been welcomed by the family of the victim and in the Baltimore area hardest hit by Monday’s violence, where people had welcomed this decision with joy. The lawyer of the police union has since instead denounced a hasty decision.
According to the investigation and autopsy, Freddie Gray died of a wound that was fatal to him when he was not wearing a seat belt in the police van where he had been shipped, hand and foot all bound, and stopped three times on the way to the police, according to Marilyn Mosby. She said the officers could provide no justification for his arrest and thus three policemen were prosecuted for having detained him illegally.
President Barack Obama wished Friday that all light be shed on the death. The drama of Baltimore and several news items like, as Ferguson, have awakened the latent racial tensions in the US between the black community and the police. In most cases, the police officers involved have escaped prosecution.