Baltimore’s Freddie Gray protests: the key questions

What sparked the protest?

Freddie Gray, a young African-American man, died after being taken into police custody on 12 April. Officers said Gray was arrested for carrying a switchblade, and video footage emerged showing him being dragged into a police van.

Gray experienced what officers described as a “medical emergency” within an hour of his arrest, and was taken to hospital. He had suffered a spinal injury and, according to his family, his spine was “80 per cent severed” at his neck as well as other injuries.

Despite extensive surgery, Gray died on 19 April, one week after his arrest. Six officers have been suspended after it emerged Gray was not buckled in whilst being transported, and Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said the officers failed to get Gray medical attention “in a timely manner”.

Questions continue to be asked over how Gray sustained his injuries and a criminal inquiry into his death underway.

Is there a wider grievance?

Protesters have said they are taking to the streets to get justice for Freddie Gray, but also because they are “getting tired of police killing young black guys for no reason”. This feeds into wider anger across America over the treatment of black men by US police officers, following a number of deaths over the past year (see video, below).

Baltimore has a large African American population, approximately 65 per cent compared to 30 per cent white. The city also has an African-American mayor of police commissioner and a diverse police force.

However, there have been concerns raised over police treatment of black citizens.

An investigation by the Baltimore Sun at the end of last year found the city had paid out $5.7m since 2011 over lawsuits claiming police officers had “beaten up” alleged suspects.

Amongst more than 100 people to receive pay-outs were a 15-year-old boy riding a dirt bike, a 26-year-old pregnant accountant and an 87-year-old grandmother.

The investigation said that “most often, the victims were African-Americans”.

Earlier this year the city’s Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said Baltimore is “still dealing with 1950s and 1960s racism” and that there is a disparity between Baltimore’s affluent, predominantly white neighbourhoods and poorer, predominantly black neighbourhoods.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake agreed in February that Baltimore “still faces the challenges of racism” and that “we still are much too segregated”.

How have protests developed?

Gray died on Sunday 19 April and on the following day a few dozen people gathered at City Hall to protest over his death. By the weekend those numbers had increased to at least 2,000.

Baltimore Police’s Captain Eric Kowalczyk said the “protests that were peaceful” showed the “best of Baltimore” but a “small group of agitators” turned that protest violent.

On Saturday around 100 protesters were reported to have splintered off from the main protest and attacked police officers with bottles and metal barricades. Police arrested 34 people and seven officers sustained “serious injuries”, including one who was rendered unconscious.

Following Gray’s funeral on Monday violence erupted again.

The start of clashes began at the Mondawmin Mall in the north west of the city. Responding to information that a large number of students were planning together at the mall, 250 to 300 officers were sent to the location.

The young age of some of the protesters was shown in footage on Tuesday of a mother, labelled on social media as “Mom of the Year”, slapping her son and dragging him home after finding him amongst rioters.

The youths were threw cinder bricks at police officers, Police Commissioner Batts said, resulting in injuries to a number of officers, including one who was knocked unconscious. Buildings were set on fire and looting took place.

Following the events of Monday night, Mayor Rawlings-Blake said the National Guard would be deployed in the city and a curfew was to be put in place from 10pm to 5am.

Are there dangerous elements in the crowd?

Police warned on Monday that members of the notorious Bloods and Crips gangs were heading to Baltimore to “take out” police officers.

Commissioner Batts said: “The Bloods and the Crips had a meeting yesterday, validated and verified, they said at the conclusion of Mr Gray’s funeral today each group was intending to kill and take out a police officer.”

However, the Bloods and the Cripps, gangs usually at war with each other, have denied they are in the city to cause trouble.

In an alliance reportedly brokered by Nation of Islam activists, the two gangs say they are uniting in the name of “peace and justice” and to “protect our community”.

In a video recorded by the Baltimore Sun, a Blood and a Crip describe how they are “not here for nobody to get hurt”.

Is the portrayal of violence fair?

It should be made clear that the vast majority of protesting in the city has been peaceful. Nevertheless, the images dominating US newspapers and websites over the past 24 hours have been of violent protesters.

Social media users are trying to reverse this trend with tweets saying “They’ll never show this on the news” and the #BaltimoreRiots, #BaltimoreUprising or #BaltimoreProtest hashtags, and links to videos of people preventing violence and peacefully protesting.

Additionally, members of the community have been out on the streets of Baltimore on Tuesday cleaning up debris.

What does Freddie Gray’s family think about what is happening?

Freddie Gray’s mother said the violence that has taken place following her son’s funeral is “wrong”. Gloria Darden, speaking from the New Siloh Baptist Church, where her son’s funeral was held on Monday, said she wanted people to get justice for her son, but “don’t do it like this”.

Gray’s stepfather, Richard Shipley, said he was “appalled” by the violence and destruction. Gray’s sister Fredericka said she didn’t think the violence was “for our Freddie”.

“They are doing it for something else”, she said.