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Tuesday 28 April 2015

State of emergency in Baltimore after Gray funeral

Violent confrontations broke out in the American city of Baltimore hours after the funeral of a young blackman who died after suffering a severe spinal injury while in police custody.Rioting and looting in a pocket of Baltimore’s west on Monday prompted the Maryland governor to declare a state of emergency, a move that activated the deployment of members of the National Guard.Maryland mayor Stefanie Rawlings-Blake also announced a weeklong 10pm to 5am curfew from Tuesday, saying that “too many people have spent generations trying to build this city for it to be destroyed by thugs, who in a very senseless way are trying to tear down what people have fought for.”Extra police were deployed across the city and an American League baseball match to be contested by Baltimore’s Orioles was postponed.Police said at least seven officers were wounded in clashes after the earlier memorial service, suffering broken bones after demonstrators started throwing bricks and stones.Baltimore police captain Eric Kowalczyk said that one officer was “unresponsive” and that the attack tookplace “without provocation”.Barack Obama, the US president, was said to be monitoring events.Police responded with pepper spray, tear gas and riot shields, the Baltimore Sun reported. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced on Monday night that he was activating the state’s National Guard to address the unrest.“Today’s looting and acts of violence in Baltimore will not be tolerated,” Hogan said. “I strongly condemn the actions of the offenders who are engaged in direct attacks against innocent civilians, businesses and law enforcement officers,” he added, charging that violent acts “betray the cause of peaceful citizens seeking answers and justice following the death of Freddie Gray.”Helicopter news footage showed people entering stores. Shops were looted and cars were set on fire. Smoke billowed from a pharmacy after it was apparently set ablaze.Peace marchGray’s family, who were hoping to organise a peace march later this week, condemned the violence, and said the problem of police brutality was not solely caused by police.“It’s about black men stepping forward and owning their portion of the problem,” the family’s lawyer, Billy Murphy, said.“We live here. We love it here. It’s not perfect. It’s like being in a bad marriage but we’re not interested in a divorce. We love this city and we’re here to work as hard as we can and as long as we can until this problem has gone away,” Murphy said.The violence came after thousands of mourners gathered to pay tribute to Gray, 25, whose death in policecustody has become the latest touchstone in a national debate over police use of force.Gray died on April 19, a week after being arrested. Gray was arrested after he made eye contact with officers and ran away. Officers held him down, handcuffed him and loaded him into a van. While inside, he became irate, and leg cuffs were put on him, police said.Gray asked for medical help several times, beginning before he was placed in the van. After a 30-minute ride that included three stops, paramedics were called.Authorities have not explained how or when Gray’s spine was injured. His injuries included three fracturesin his neck vertebrae, a smashed voicebox and the severing of 80 percent of his spine.

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