2015 Baltimore protests

2015 Baltimore protests
Part of the Black Lives Matter movement
and reactions to the Death of Freddie Gray
Protesters demonstrating at the Baltimore Police Department's Western District building.
DateApril 18[1][2] – May 3, 2015 (2015-05-03) (17 days)
Location
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

39°17′27″N 76°36′40″W / 39.290860°N 76.611024°W / 39.290860; -76.611024
Caused byThe hospitalization[1][2] and death of Freddie Gray[3]
GoalsLegal prosecution of those allegedly responsible for Gray's death; an end to police brutality.
MethodsProtests, rioting, arson, vandalism
StatusEnded, movement still active.
Parties
Lead figures

Unknown

Number
  • 1,000+ police
  • 2,500 National Guard
Injuries and arrests
Injuries113 police officers injured,[7] 2 people shot. One fire victim in critical condition.[8]
Arrested486[7]
ChargedGreg Bailey: charged with obstructing firefighting operations, malicious destruction of property and reckless endangerment.[9]
State of emergency declared effective on April 27; rescinded May 6.[10]
A mandatory curfew was ordered beginning April 28 and ended May 3.[11]

On April 12, 2015, Baltimore Police Department officers arrested Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Gray's neck and spine were injured while he was in a police vehicle and he went into a coma. On April 18, there were protests in front of the Western district police station.[1][2] Gray died on April 19.

Further protests were organized after Gray's death became public knowledge, amid the police department's continuing inability to adequately or consistently explain the events following the arrest and the injuries. Spontaneous protests started after the funeral service, although several included violent elements. Civil unrest continued with at least twenty police officers injured, at least 250 people arrested, 285 to 350 businesses damaged, 150 vehicle fires, 60 structure fires,[13] 27 drugstores looted,[14] thousands of police and Maryland National Guard troops deployed, and with a state of emergency declared in the city limits of Baltimore.[15][16] The state of emergency was lifted on May 6.[17] The series of protests took place against a historical backdrop of racial and poverty issues in Baltimore.[18][19]

On May 1, 2015, Gray's death was ruled by the medical examiner to be a homicide. Six officers were charged with various offenses, including second-degree murder, in connection with Gray's death.[20] Three officers were subsequently acquitted; in July 2016, following the acquittals, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped charges against the remaining three officers.[21]

  1. ^ a b c Fenton, Justin (April 18, 2015). "Hundreds at Baltimore police station protest over man's injuries during arrest". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Valcourt, Derek (April 19, 2015). "Freddie Gray Dies In Hospital One Week After Arrest In Baltimore". WJZ-TV. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  3. ^ Simpson, Ian (April 18, 2015). "Crowds protest death of man after arrest by Baltimore police". Reuters. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  4. ^ Terhune, Virginia (May 1, 2015). "Montgomery County Police Sends 40 Plus Officers to Assist Baltimore". The Gazette. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "Montgomery County police chief talks Baltimore, community relations". WTOP. May 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  6. ^ "Why Cell Phone and Body Cameras Aren't Enough For the Anti-Police Brutality Movement". The National Journal. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015. Pennsylvania State Troopers in riot gear deploy Friday in Baltimore. (Win McNamee / Getty)
  7. ^ a b "Accurately charging people arrested in Baltimore proves to be legal challenge". The Washington Post. May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  8. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (April 28, 2015). "Baltimore's Streets Fill With Civilians and National Guard Troops". The New York Times. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  9. ^ Wood, Pamela (May 1, 2015). "Man charged with damaging hoses at CVS fire". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference emergencystate was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference lati_Balt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Sherman, Natalie (May 11, 2015). "GBC aims to help ex-offenders in wake of Baltimore's troubles". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  13. ^ Wenger, Yvonne (May 13, 2015). "Damage to businesses from Baltimore rioting estimated at about $9 million". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  14. ^ Oppel, Richard A. Jr. (June 12, 2015). "West Baltimore's Police Presence Drops, and Murders Soar". The New York Times. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  15. ^ "Baltimore riots live updates: About 200 arrested after violence, fires sweep city". Los Angeles Times. April 28, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  16. ^ Simpson, Ian; Strobel, Warren (April 28, 2015). "Thousands of police descend on Baltimore to enforce curfew after riots". Reuters. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  17. ^ Calamur, Krishnadev (May 6, 2015). "Maryland Governor Lifts State Of Emergency In Baltimore". NPR.org. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  18. ^ David Ettlin (May 5, 2015). "Racial tension haunts Baltimore across chasm of 45 years". Baltimore Post-Examiner. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  19. ^ Keller, Michael; Kim, E. Tammy; Kutsch, Tom; Vo, Lam Thuy (April 29, 2015). "Baltimore: The divided city where Freddie Gray lived and died". Al Jazeera America. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  20. ^ Blinder, Alan (May 1, 2015). "Prosecutors Charge 6 Baltimore Officers in Freddie Gray Death". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  21. ^ Sherl Gay Stolberg & Jess Bidgood, All Charges Dropped Against Baltimore Officers in Freddie Gray Case, The New York Times (July 27, 2016).